Production process for a supercapacitor having a high volumetric energy density

ABSTRACT

A process for producing a supercapacitor cell, comprising (a) Assembling a porous cell framework composed of a first conductive foam structure, a second conductive foam structure, and a porous separator, wherein the first and/or second conductive foam structure has a thickness no less than 200 μm and at least 80% by volume of pores; (b) Preparing a first suspension of an anode active material dispersed in a liquid electrolyte and a second suspension of a cathode active material (e.g. graphene sheets) dispersed in a liquid electrolyte; and (c) Injecting the first suspension into pores of the first conductive foam structure to form an anode and injecting second suspension into pores of the second conductive foam structure to form a cathode, wherein the anode active material or the cathode active material constitutes an electrode active material loading &gt;10 mg/cm 2 , preferably &gt;15 mg/cm 2 , more preferably &gt;20 mg/cm 2 .

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates generally to the field of supercapacitors or ultracapacitors, and more particularly to the graphene-based supercapacitors and production processes.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Electrochemical capacitors (ECs), also known as ultracapacitors or supercapacitors, are being considered for uses in hybrid electric vehicles (EVs) where they can supplement a battery used in an electric car to provide bursts of power needed for rapid acceleration, the biggest technical hurdle to making battery-powered cars commercially viable. A battery would still be used for cruising, but supercapacitors (with their ability to release energy much more quickly than batteries) would kick in whenever the car needs to accelerate for merging, passing, emergency maneuvers, and hill climbing. The EC must also store sufficient energy to provide an acceptable driving range. To be cost-, volume-, and weight-effective compared to additional battery capacity they must combine adequate energy densities (volumetric and gravimetric) and power densities with long cycle life, and meet cost targets as well.

ECs are also gaining acceptance in the electronics industry as system designers become familiar with their attributes and benefits. ECs were originally developed to provide large bursts of driving energy for orbital lasers. In complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) memory backup applications, for instance, a one-Farad EC having a volume of only one-half cubic inch can replace nickel-cadmium or lithium batteries and provide backup power for months. For a given applied voltage, the stored energy in an EC associated with a given charge is half that storable in a corresponding battery system for passage of the same charge. Nevertheless, ECs are extremely attractive power sources. Compared with batteries, they require no maintenance, offer much higher cycle-life, require a very simple charging circuit, experience no “memory effect,” and are generally much safer. Physical rather than chemical energy storage is the key reason for their safe operation and extraordinarily high cycle-life. Perhaps most importantly, capacitors offer higher power density than batteries.

The high volumetric capacitance density of an EC relative to conventional capacitors (10 to 100 times greater than conventional capacitors) derives from using porous electrodes to create a large effective “plate area” and from storing energy in the diffuse double layer. This double layer, created naturally at a solid-electrolyte interface when voltage is imposed, has a thickness of only about 1 nm, thus forming an extremely small effective “plate separation.” Such a supercapacitor is commonly referred to as an electric double layer capacitor (EDLC). The double layer capacitor is based on a high surface area electrode material, such as activated carbon, immersed in a liquid electrolyte. A polarized double layer is formed at electrode-electrolyte interfaces providing high capacitance. This implies that the specific capacitance of a supercapacitor is directly proportional to the specific surface area of the electrode material. This surface area must be accessible by electrolyte and the resulting interfacial zones must be sufficiently large to accommodate the so-called electric double-layer charges.

In some ECs, stored energy is further augmented by pseudo-capacitance effects, occurring again at the solid-electrolyte interface due to electrochemical phenomena such as the redox charge transfer.

However, there are several serious technical issues associated with current state-of-the-art ECs or supercapacitors:

-   (1) Experience with ECs based on activated carbon electrodes shows     that the experimentally measured capacitance is always much lower     than the geometrical capacitance calculated from the measured     surface area and the width of the dipole layer. For very high     surface area carbons, typically only about 10-20 percent of the     “theoretical” capacitance was observed. This disappointing     performance is related to the presence of micro-pores (<2 nm, mostly     <1 nm) and ascribed to inaccessibility of some pores by the     electrolyte, wetting deficiencies, and/or the inability of a double     layer to form successfully in pores in which the oppositely charged     surfaces are less than about 1-2 nm apart. In activated carbons,     depending on the source of the carbon and the heat treatment     temperature, a surprising amount of surfaces can be in the form of     such micro-pores. -   (2) Despite the high gravimetric capacitances at the electrode level     (based on active material weights alone) as frequently claimed in     open literature and patent documents, these electrodes unfortunately     fail to provide energy storage devices with high capacities at the     supercapacitor cell or pack level (based on the total cell weight or     pack weight). This is due to the notion that, in these reports, the     actual mass loadings of the electrodes and the apparent densities     for the active materials are too low. In most cases, the active     material mass loadings of the electrodes (areal density) is     significantly lower than 10 mg/cm² (areal density=the amount of     active materials per electrode cross-sectional area along the     electrode thickness direction) and the apparent volume density or     tap density of the active material is typically less than 0.75     g/cm⁻³ (more typically less than 0.5 g/cm⁻³ and most typically less     than 0.3 g/cm⁻³) even for relatively large particles of activated     carbon.

The low mass loading is primarily due to the inability to obtain thicker electrodes (thicker than 100-200 μm) using the conventional slurry coating procedure. This is not a trivial task as one might think, and in reality the electrode thickness is not a design parameter that can be arbitrarily and freely varied for the purpose of optimizing the cell performance. Contrarily, thicker samples tend to become extremely brittle or of poor structural integrity and would also require the use of large amounts of binder resin. These problems are particularly acute for graphene material-based electrodes. It has not been previously possible to produce graphene-based electrodes that are thicker than 150 μm and remain highly porous with pores remaining fully accessible to liquid electrolyte. The low areal densities and low volume densities (related to thin electrodes and poor packing density) result in relatively low volumetric capacitances and low volumetric energy density of the supercapacitor cells.

With the growing demand for more compact and portable energy storage systems, there is keen interest to increase the utilization of the volume of the energy storage devices. Novel electrode materials and designs that enable high volumetric capacitances and high mass loadings are essential to achieving improved cell volumetric capacitances and energy densities.

-   (3) During the past decade, much work has been conducted to develop     electrode materials with increased volumetric capacitances utilizing     porous carbon-based materials, such as graphene, carbon     nanotube-based composites, porous graphite oxide, and porous meso     carbon. Although these experimental supercapacitors featuring such     electrode materials can be charged and discharged at high rates and     also exhibit large volumetric electrode capacitances (100 to 200     F/cm³ in most cases, based on the electrode volume), their typical     active mass loading of <1 mg/cm², tap density of <0.2 g/cm⁻³, and     electrode thicknesses of up to tens of micrometers (<<100 μm) are     still significantly lower than those used in most commercially     available electrochemical capacitors (i.e. 10 mg/cm², 100-200 μm),     which results in energy storage devices with relatively low areal     and volumetric capacitances and low volumetric energy densities. -   (4) For graphene-based supercapacitors, there are additional     problems that remain to be solved, explained below:

Nano graphene materials have recently been found to exhibit exceptionally high thermal conductivity, high electrical conductivity, and high strength. Another outstanding characteristic of graphene is its exceptionally high specific surface area. A single graphene sheet provides a specific external surface area of approximately 2,675 m²/g (that is accessible by liquid electrolyte), as opposed to the exterior surface area of approximately 1,300 m²/g provided by a corresponding single-wall CNT (interior surface not accessible by electrolyte). The electrical conductivity of graphene is slightly higher than that of CNTs.

The instant applicants (A. Zhamu and B. Z. Jang) and their colleagues were the first to investigate graphene- and other nano graphite-based nano materials for supercapacitor application [Please see Refs. 1-5 below; the 1^(st) patent application was submitted in 2006 and issued in 2009]. After 2008, researchers began to realize the significance of nano graphene materials for supercapacitor applications.

List of References

-   -   1. Lulu Song, A. Zhamu, Jiusheng Guo, and B. Z. Jang         “Nano-scaled Graphene Plate Nanocomposites for Supercapacitor         Electrodes” U.S. Pat. No. 7,623,340 (Nov. 24, 2009).     -   2. Aruna Zhamu and Bor Z. Jang, “Process for Producing         Nano-scaled Graphene Platelet Nanocomposite Electrodes for         Supercapacitors,” U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/906,786         (Oct. 4, 2007).     -   3. Aruna Zhamu and Bor Z. Jang, “Graphite-Carbon Composite         Electrodes for Supercapacitors” U.S. patent application Ser. No.         11/895,657 (Aug. 27, 2007).     -   4. Aruna Zhamu and Bor Z. Jang, “Method of Producing         Graphite-Carbon Composite Electrodes for Supercapacitors” U.S.         patent application Ser. No. 11/895,588 (Aug. 27, 2007).     -   5. Aruna Zhamu and Bor Z. Jang, “Graphene Nanocomposites for         Electrochemical cell Electrodes,” U.S. patent application Ser.         No. 12/220,651 (Jul. 28, 2008).

However, individual nano graphene sheets have a great tendency to re-stack themselves, effectively reducing the specific surface areas that are accessible by the electrolyte in a supercapacitor electrode. The significance of this graphene sheet overlap issue may be illustrated as follows: For a nano graphene platelet with dimensions of l (length)×w (width)×t (thickness) and density ρ, the estimated surface area per unit mass is S/m=(2/ρ)(1/l+1/w+1/t). With ρ≅2.2 g/cm³, l=100 nm, w=100 nm, and t=0.34 nm (single layer), we have an impressive S/m value of 2,675 m²/g, which is much greater than that of most commercially available carbon black or activated carbon materials used in the state-of-the-art supercapacitor. If two single-layer graphene sheets stack to form a double-layer graphene, the specific surface area is reduced to 1,345 m²/g. For a three-layer graphene, t=1 nm, we have S/m=906 m²/g. If more layers are stacked together, the specific surface area would be further significantly reduced.

These calculations suggest that it is critically important to find a way to prevent individual graphene sheets to re-stack and, even if they partially re-stack, the resulting multi-layer structure would still have inter-layer pores of adequate sizes. These pores must be sufficiently large to allow for accessibility by the electrolyte and to enable the formation of electric double-layer charges, which typically require a pore size of at least 1 nm, more preferably at least 2 nm. However, these pores or inter-graphene spacings must also be sufficiently small to ensure a large tap density. Unfortunately, the typical tap density of graphene-based electrode is less than 0.3 g/cm³, and most typically <<0.1 g/cm³. To a great extent, the requirement to have large pore sizes and high porosity level and the requirement to have a high tap density are considered mutually exclusive in supercapacitors.

Another major technical barrier to using graphene sheets as a supercapacitor electrode active material is the challenge of depositing a thick active material layer onto the surface of a solid current collector (e.g. Al foil) using the conventional graphene-solvent slurry coating procedure. In such an electrode, the graphene electrode typically requires a large amount of a binder resin (hence, significantly reduced active material proportion vs. non-active or overhead materials/components). In addition, any electrode prepared in this manner that is thicker than 50 μm is brittle and weak. There has been no effective solution to these problems.

Therefore, there is clear and urgent need for supercapacitors that have high active material mass loading (high areal density), active materials with high apparent density (high tap density), high electrode thickness without significantly decreasing the electron and ion transport rates (e.g. without a long electron transport distance), high volumetric capacitance, and high volumetric energy density. For graphene-based electrodes, one must also overcome problems such as re-stacking of graphene sheets, the demand for large proportion of a binder resin, and difficulty in producing thick graphene electrode layers.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides a process for producing a supercapacitor cell having a high active material mass loading, exceptionally low overhead weight and volume (relative to the active material mass and volume), high volumetric capacitance, and unprecedentedly high volumetric energy density. In one embodiment, the invented process comprises:

-   -   (a) Assembling a porous cell framework composed of a first         conductive foam structure (interconnected 2D or 3D network of         electron-conducting paths) as an anode current collector, a         second conductive foam structure as a cathode current collector,         and a porous separator disposed between the first and second         conductive foam structure; wherein the first and/or second         conductive foam structure has a thickness no less than 100 μm         (preferably greater than 200 μm, more preferably greater than         300 μm, further preferably greater than 400 μm, and most         preferably greater than 500 μm) and at least 80% by volume of         pores (preferably at least 85% porosity, more preferably at         least 90%, and most preferably at least 95%);     -   (b) Preparing a first suspension of an anode active material         dispersed in a first liquid electrolyte and a second suspension         of a cathode active material dispersed in a second liquid         electrolyte, wherein the anode active material and/or the         cathode active material contains multiple particles of a carbon         material and/or multiple graphene sheets, wherein the multiple         graphene sheets contain single-layer graphene or few-layer         graphene each having from 1 to 10 graphene planes and the         multiple particles of carbon material have a specific surface         area no less than 500 m²/g when measured in a dried state; and     -   (c) Injecting the first suspension into pores of said first         conductive foam structure to form an anode and injecting said         second suspension into pores of said second conductive foam         structure to form a cathode to an extent that the anode active         material or the cathode active material constitutes an electrode         active material loading no less than 7 mg/cm² in the anode or         the cathode, wherein the anode, the separator, and the cathode         are assembled in a protective housing before or after the         injection step.     -   The anode current collector, the separator, and the cathode         current collector are assembled in a protective housing before,         during or after the injecting (or impregnation) of the first         suspension and/or the injecting (or impregnation) of the second         suspension.

It may be noted that a foam structure herein refers to an interconnected 2D or 3D network of electron-conducting paths. This can be, for instance, end-connected 2D mats, webs, chicken wire-like metal screens, etc., as illustrated in FIG. 3. This can also be metal foam, conductive polymer foam, graphite foam, carbon foam, or graphene foam, etc., wherein pore walls contain conductive materials. The pore volume (e.g. >80%) of a foamed current collector is a critically important requirement to ensure a large proportion of active materials accommodated in the current collector. Based on this criterion, conventional paper or textiles made of natural and/or synthetic fibers do not meet this requirement since they do not have a sufficient amount of properly sized pores.

The pore sizes in the first and/or second conductive foam structure are preferably in the range from 10 nm to 50 μm, more preferably from 100 nm to 20 μm, further preferably from 500 nm to 10 μm, and most preferably from 1 μm to 5 μm. These pore size ranges are designed to accommodate graphene sheets, which are typically from 10 nm to 50 μm in length/width and most typically from 100 nm to 20 μm, further typically from 200 nm to 10 μm, and most typically from 0.5 μm to 5 μm. More significantly, however, since all active material particles (e.g. graphene sheets, carbon particles, etc.) are, on average, within a distance of 25 μm from a pore wall in the 3D foam structure, electrons (charges) can be readily collected from the electric double layers near the active material-electrolyte interface. This is in contrast to the notion that some electrons in the conventional thick electrode of prior art supercapacitors (e.g. wherein an activated carbon layer >100 μm in thickness is coated onto a surface of a solid Al foil current collector 12 μm thick) must travel at least 100 μm to get collected by a current collector (meaning a larger internal resistance and reduced ability to deliver a higher power).

In general, the first liquid electrolyte and the second liquid electrolyte are identical in a symmetric supercapacitor, but they can be different in composition. The liquid electrolytes can be an aqueous liquid, organic liquid, ionic liquid (ionic salt having a melting temperature lower than 100° C., preferably lower than room temperature, 25° C.), or mixture of an ionic liquid and an organic liquid at a ratio from 1/100 to 100/1. The organic liquid is desirable, but the ionic liquid is preferred.

The carbon material is selected from activated carbon, activated meso-carbon micro beads (activated MCMBs), activated graphite, activated or chemically etched carbon black, activated hard carbon, activated soft carbon, carbon nanotube, carbon nano-fiber, activated carbon fiber, activated graphite fiber, exfoliated graphite worms, activated graphite worms, activated expanded graphite flakes, or a combination thereof.

In a preferred embodiment, the first and/or second conductive foam structure has a thickness no less than 200 μm, has at least 85% by volume of pores (prior to injection of the suspension), and/or the electrode active material loading is no less than 10 mg/cm². Preferably, the active material occupies at least 30% by weight or by volume of the entire supercapacitor cell. This weight or volume proportion of the active material is preferably no less than 40%, further preferably no less than 50%, and mote preferably no less than 60%. These have not been possible with conventional supercapacitors.

In a further preferred embodiment, the first and/or second conductive foam structure has a thickness no less than 300 μm, has at least 90% by volume of pores, and/or the electrode active material loading is no less than 15 mg/cm².

In a more preferred embodiment, the first and/or second conductive foam structure has a thickness no less than 400 μm, has at least 95% by volume of pores, and/or the electrode active material loading is no less than 20 mg/cm².

In certain embodiments, the first and/or second conductive foam structure is selected from metal foam, metal web or screen, perforated metal sheet-based 3-D structure, metal fiber mat, metal nanowire mat, conductive polymer nano-fiber mat, conductive polymer foam, conductive polymer-coated fiber foam, carbon foam, graphite foam, carbon aerogel, carbon xerogel, graphene foam, graphene oxide foam, reduced graphene oxide foam, carbon fiber foam, graphite fiber foam, exfoliated graphite foam, or a combination thereof.

Graphene sheets are selected from the group consisting of pristine graphene, graphene oxide, reduced graphene oxide, graphene fluoride, graphene chloride, graphene bromide, graphene iodide, hydrogenated graphene, nitrogenated graphene, boron-doped graphene, nitrogen-doped graphene, chemically functionalized graphene, physically or chemically activated or etched versions thereof, and combinations thereof. In an embodiment, the anode or the cathode contains graphene sheets as the only electrode active material and does not contain any other electrode active material.

In certain embodiments, the anode or the cathode contains the following materials as the only electrode active material in the anode or cathode: (a) graphene sheets alone; (b) graphene sheets mixed with a carbon material; (c) graphene sheets mixed with a partner material that forms a redox pair with said graphene sheets to develop pseudo-capacitance; or (d) graphene sheets and a carbon material mixed with a partner material that forms a redox pair with graphene sheets or the carbon material to develop pseudo-capacitance, and wherein there is no other electrode active material in the anode or cathode.

The anode active material and the cathode active material can be the same material or different materials. Preferably, the volume ratio of the anode active material-to-liquid electrolyte in the first dispersion is from 1/5 to 20/1 (preferably from 1/3 to 5/1) and/or the volume ratio of cathode active material-to-the liquid electrolyte in the second dispersion is from 1/5 to 20/1 (preferably from 1/3 to 5/1).

In certain embodiments, the anode active material or cathode active material further contains a redox pair partner material selected from a metal oxide, a conducting polymer, an organic material, a non-graphene carbon material, an inorganic material, or a combination thereof, wherein the partner material, in combination with graphene or a carbon material, form a redox pair for developing pseudo-capacitance. The metal oxide may be selected from RuO₂, IrO₂, NiO, MnO₂, VO₂, V₂O₅, V₃O₈, TiO₂, Cr₂O₃, Co₂O₃, Co₃O₄, PbO₂, Ag₂O, or a combination thereof. The inorganic material may be selected from a metal carbide, metal nitride, metal boride, metal dichalcogenide, or a combination thereof.

In some embodiments, the metal oxide or inorganic material may be selected from an oxide, dichalcogenide, trichalcogenide, sulfide, selenide, or telluride of niobium, zirconium, molybdenum, hafnium, tantalum, tungsten, titanium, vanadium, chromium, cobalt, manganese, iron, or nickel in a nanowire, nano-disc, nano-ribbon, or nano platelet form. Preferably, the inorganic material is selected from nano discs, nano platelets, nano-coating, or nano sheets of an inorganic material selected from: (a) bismuth selenide or bismuth telluride, (b) transition metal dichalcogenide or trichalcogenide, (c) sulfide, selenide, or telluride of niobium, zirconium, molybdenum, hafnium, tantalum, tungsten, titanium, cobalt, manganese, iron, nickel, or a transition metal; (d) boron nitride, or (e) a combination thereof; wherein said discs, platelets, or sheets have a thickness less than 100 nm.

In an embodiment, we have a cathode that is an electric double layer or redox pair type of electrode, but the anode is a battery-type anode (e.g. containing pre-lithiated graphite particles or pre-lithiated Si particles) and the resulting supercapacitor is a lithium ion capacitor (still a capacitor, not a battery). Thus, the invention also provides a process for producing a special class of supercapacitor cell (i.e. a lithium ion capacitor, LIC). The process includes:

-   -   (A) Assembling a porous cell framework composed of a first         conductive foam structure as a cathode current collector, an         anode current collector (e.g. non-porous, thin Cu foil), and a         porous separator disposed between the anode and the cathode         current collectors; wherein the first conductive foam structure         has a thickness no less than 100 μm and at least 80% by volume         of pores and the anode current collector has two opposed primary         surfaces and at least one of the two primary surfaces is         pre-coated with a layer of an anode active material;     -   (B) Preparing a first suspension of a cathode active material         dispersed in a first liquid electrolyte, wherein the cathode         active material contains multiple particles of a carbon material         and/or multiple graphene sheets, wherein the multiple graphene         sheets contain single-layer graphene or few-layer graphene each         having from 1 to 10 graphene planes and the multiple particles         of carbon material have a specific surface area no less than 500         m²/g when measured in a dried state; and     -   (C) Injecting the first suspension into pores of the first         conductive foam structure to form a cathode to an extent that         the cathode active material constitutes an electrode active         material loading no less than 7 mg/cm² (preferably >10 mg/cm²,         more preferably >20 mg/cm², and most preferably >25 mg/cm²), and         wherein the anode, separator, and cathode are assembled in a         protective housing before or after the injecting step occurs.

In another embodiment, the present invention provides a process for producing a supercapacitor cell, the process comprising: (a) Assembling a porous cell framework composed of a first conductive foam structure as an anode current collector, a second conductive foam structure as a cathode current collector, and a porous separator disposed between the first and the second conductive foam structure; wherein the first and/or second conductive foam structure has a thickness no less than 100 μm and at least 80% by volume of pores; (b) Preparing a first suspension of an anode active material dispersed in a first liquid electrolyte and a second suspension of a cathode active material dispersed in a second liquid electrolyte, wherein the anode active material and/or the cathode active material contains nano discs, nano platelets, nano-coating, or nano sheets of an inorganic material selected from: (a) bismuth selenide or bismuth telluride, (b) transition metal dichalcogenide or trichalcogenide, (c) sulfide, selenide, or telluride of niobium, zirconium, molybdenum, hafnium, tantalum, tungsten, titanium, cobalt, manganese, iron, nickel, or a transition metal; (d) boron nitride, or (e) a combination thereof, wherein said discs, platelets, coating, or sheets have a thickness less than 100 nm and a specific surface area no less than 200 m²/g when measured in a dried state; and (c) Injecting the first suspension into pores of the first conductive foam structure to form an anode and injecting the second suspension into pores of the second conductive foam structure to form a cathode to an extent that the anode active material or the cathode active material constitutes an electrode active material loading no less than 7 mg/cm² in the anode or said cathode, wherein the anode, the separator, and the cathode are assembled in a protective housing.

In a preferred embodiment, the first and/or second conductive foam structure has a thickness no less than 200 μm, has at least 85% by volume of pores (prior to injection of the suspension), and/or the electrode active material loading is no less than 10 mg/cm².

In a further preferred embodiment, the first and/or second conductive foam structure has a thickness no less than 300 μm, has at least 90% by volume of pores, and/or the electrode active material loading is no less than 15 mg/cm².

In a more preferred embodiment, the first and/or second conductive foam structure has a thickness no less than 400 μm, has at least 95% by volume of pores, and/or the electrode active material loading is no less than 20 mg/cm².

In certain embodiments, the first and/or second conductive foam structure is selected from metal foam, metal web or screen, perforated metal sheet-based 3-D structure, metal fiber mat, metal nanowire mat, conductive polymer nano-fiber mat, conductive polymer foam, conductive polymer-coated fiber foam, carbon foam, graphite foam, carbon aerogel, carbon xerogel, graphene foam, graphene oxide foam, reduced graphene oxide foam, carbon fiber foam, graphite fiber foam, exfoliated graphite foam, or a combination thereof.

Graphene sheets are selected from the group consisting of pristine graphene, graphene oxide, reduced graphene oxide, graphene fluoride, graphene chloride, graphene bromide, graphene iodide, hydrogenated graphene, nitrogenated graphene, boron-doped graphene, nitrogen-doped graphene, chemically functionalized graphene, physically or chemically activated or etched versions thereof, and combinations thereof. In an embodiment, the anode or the cathode contains graphene sheets as the only electrode active material and does not contain any other electrode active material.

In certain embodiments, the anode or the cathode contains the following materials as the only electrode active material in the anode or cathode: (a) graphene sheets alone; (b) graphene sheets mixed with a carbon material; (c) graphene sheets mixed with a partner material that forms a redox pair with said graphene sheets to develop pseudo-capacitance; or (d) graphene sheets and a carbon material mixed with a partner material that forms a redox pair with graphene sheets or the carbon material to develop pseudo-capacitance, and wherein there is no other electrode active material in the anode or cathode.

Preferably, the volume ratio of the anode active material-to-liquid electrolyte in the first dispersion is from 1/5 to 20/1 (preferably from 1/3 to 5/1) and/or the volume ratio of cathode active material-to-the liquid electrolyte in the second dispersion is from 1/5 to 20/1 (preferably from 1/3 to 5/1).

The anode active material or cathode active material may further contain a redox pair partner material selected from a carbon material, a graphene material, a metal oxide, a conducting polymer, an organic material, or a combination thereof, wherein the partner material, in combination with the inorganic material, form a redox pair for obtaining pseudo-capacitance. The metal oxide may be selected from RuO₂, IrO₂, NiO, MnO₂, VO₂, V₂O₅, V₃O₈, TiO₂, Cr₂O₃, Co₂O₃, Co₃O₄, PbO₂, Ag₂O, or a combination thereof.

The present invention also provides a supercapacitor cell produced by any of the aforementioned versions of the invented process. In one embodiment, the anode active material or said cathode active material in this supercapacitor cell constitutes an electrode active material loading greater than 10 mg/cm² and/or wherein said first and/or second conductive foam structure has a thickness no less than 200 μm. In another embodiment, the anode active material or the cathode active material constitutes an electrode active material loading greater than 10 mg/cm², the first and/or second conductive foam structure has a thickness no less than 200 μm, and/or the proportion of active materials exceeds 30% by weight of the supercapacitor cell weight.

The present invention also provides a supercapacitor cell comprising an anode having an anode active material disposed in pores of a 3D porous anode current collector, a cathode having a cathode active material disposed in pores of a 3D porous cathode current collector, a separator disposed between the anode and the cathode and in direct physical contact with both the anode current collector and the cathode current collector, wherein the anode active material or the cathode active material constitutes an electrode active material loading greater than 10 mg/cm², the 3D porous anode current collector or the 3D porous cathode current collector has a thickness no less than (preferably greater than) 200 μm, and/or the active material proportion in a supercapacitor cell exceeds 30% by weight.

Preferably, the electrode active material loading is greater than 15 mg/cm², the 3D porous anode current collector or cathode current collector has a thickness no less than 300 μm, and/or the active material proportion in a supercapacitor cell exceeds 40% by weight. Further preferably, the electrode active material loading is greater than 20 mg/cm² and/or wherein the 3D porous anode current collector or cathode current collector has a thickness no less than 400 μm and/or the active material proportion in a supercapacitor cell exceeds 50% by weight. More preferably, the 3D porous anode current collector or cathode current collector has a thickness no less than 500 μm and/or the active material proportion in a supercapacitor cell exceeds 60% by weight.

In certain embodiments, the porous 3D anode current collector or cathode current collector of this supercapacitor cell contains a conductive foam structure selected from metal foam, metal web or screen, perforated metal sheet-based 3-D structure, metal fiber mat, metal nanowire mat, conductive polymer nano-fiber mat, conductive polymer foam, conductive polymer-coated fiber foam, carbon foam, graphite foam, carbon aerogel, carbon xerogel, graphene foam, graphene oxide foam, reduced graphene oxide foam, carbon fiber foam, graphite fiber foam, exfoliated graphite foam, or a combination thereof.

In a highly preferred supercapacitor cell, the anode active material or the cathode active material contains graphene sheets selected from the group consisting of pristine graphene, graphene oxide, reduced graphene oxide, graphene fluoride, graphene chloride, graphene bromide, graphene iodide, hydrogenated graphene, nitrogenated graphene, boron-doped graphene, nitrogen-doped graphene, chemically functionalized graphene, physically or chemically activated or etched versions thereof, and combinations thereof. In an embodiment, the anode or the cathode contains graphene sheets as the only electrode active material and does not contain any other electrode active material.

In certain embodiments, the supercapacitor cell anode or cathode contains the following materials as the only electrode active material in the anode or cathode: (a) graphene sheets alone; (b) graphene sheets mixed with a carbon material; (c) multiple particles of a carbon material; (d) graphene sheets mixed with a partner material that forms a redox pair with said graphene sheets to develop pseudo-capacitance; (e) a carbon material mixed with a partner material that forms a redox pair with said carbon material to develop pseudo-capacitance; (f) nano discs, nano platelets, nano-coating, or nano sheets of an inorganic material selected from: (i) bismuth selenide or bismuth telluride, (ii) transition metal dichalcogenide or trichalcogenide, (iii) sulfide, selenide, or telluride of niobium, zirconium, molybdenum, hafnium, tantalum, tungsten, titanium, cobalt, manganese, iron, nickel, or a transition metal; (iv) boron nitride, (v) a combination thereof, wherein the discs, platelets, coating, or sheets have a thickness less than 100 nm and a specific surface area no less than 200 m²/g when measured in a dried state; or (g) an inorganic material mixed with graphene sheets or a carbon material.

Preferably, in the invented Supercapacitor cell, the volume ratio of the anode active material-to-liquid electrolyte in the anode is from 1/5 to 20/1 and/or the volume ratio of the cathode active material-to-liquid electrolyte in the cathode is from 1/5 to 20/1. More preferably, the ratio is from 1/3 to 5/1.

In order to make a pseudo-capacitor (a aupercapacitor that works on the development of pseudo-capacitance through redox pair formation), the anode active material or cathode active material contains graphene sheets and a redox pair partner material selected from a metal oxide, a conducting polymer, an organic material, a non-graphene carbon material, an inorganic material, or a combination thereof, wherein the partner material, in combination with graphene sheets, form a redox pair for developing pseudo-capacitance. In an embodiment, the metal oxide or inorganic material is selected from RuO₂, IrO₂, NiO, MnO₂, VO₂, V₂O₅, V₃O₈, TiO₂, Cr₂O₃, Co₂O₃, CO₃O₄, PbO₂, Ag₂O, MoC_(x), Mo₂N, or a combination thereof. The inorganic material may be selected from metal carbide, metal nitride, metal boride, metal dichalcogenide, or a combination thereof. Preferably, the desired metal oxide or inorganic material is selected from an oxide, dichalcogenide, trichalcogenide, sulfide, selenide, or telluride of niobium, zirconium, molybdenum, hafnium, tantalum, tungsten, titanium, vanadium, chromium, cobalt, manganese, iron, or nickel in a nanowire, nano-disc, nano-ribbon, or nano platelet form.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1(A) Schematic of a prior art supercapacitor cell.

FIG. 1(B) Schematic of a presently invented supercapacitor cell, comprising an anode current collector in the form of a highly porous foam, a porous separator, and a cathode current collector in the form of a highly porous foam. Suspensions are being injected or impregnated into pores of the two current collectors. Half of the pores have been filled, for illustration purpose.

FIG. 1(C) Schematic of a presently invented supercapacitor cell, comprising an anode current collector in the form of a highly porous foam, a porous separator, and a cathode current collector in the form of a highly porous foam. The pores of the two foamed current collectors have been impregnated with their respective suspensions.

FIG. 2 An electron microscopic image of graphene sheets.

FIG. 3 Schematic of a foamed or porous current collector, as an example, composed of 5 sheets of highly porous 2D webs (e.g. chicken wire-shaped thin 2D structures) that are end-connected to form a tab.

FIG. 4(A) Schematic of a commonly used process for producing exfoliated graphite, expanded graphite flakes (thickness >100 nm), and graphene sheets (thickness <100 nm, more typically <10 nm, and can be as thin as 0.34 nm).

FIG. 4 (B) Schematic drawing to illustrate the processes for producing exfoliated graphite, expanded graphite flakes, and graphene sheets.

FIG. 5 Ragone plots (gravimetric and volumetric power density vs. energy density) of symmetric supercapacitor (EDLC) cells containing reduced graphene oxide (RGO) sheets as the electrode active material and EMIMBF4 ionic liquid electrolyte. Supercapacitors were prepared according to an embodiment of instant invention and, for comparison, by the conventional slurry coating of electrodes.

FIG. 6 Ragone plots (gravimetric and volumetric power density vs. energy density) of symmetric supercapacitor (EDLC) cells containing activated carbon (AC) particles as the electrode active material and organic liquid electrolyte. Supercapacitors were prepared according to an embodiment of instant invention and by the conventional slurry coating of electrodes.

FIG. 7 Ragone plots (gravimetric and volumetric power density vs. energy density) of lithium ion capacitor (LIC) cells containing pristine graphene sheets as the electrode active material and lithium salt-PC/DEC organic liquid electrolyte. Supercapacitors were prepared according to an embodiment of instant invention and by the conventional slurry coating of electrodes.

FIG. 8 The cell-level gravimetric and volumetric energy densities plotted over the achievable electrode thickness range of the AC-based EDLC supercapacitors prepared via the conventional method and the presently invented method. Legends: the gravimetric (♦) and volumetric (▴) energy density of the conventional supercapaitors and the gravimetric (▪) and volumetric (X) energy density of the inventive supercapaitors. With the presently invented method, there is no theoretical limit on the electrode thickness that can be achieved. Typically, the practical electrode thickness is from 10 μm to 1000 μm, more typically from 100 μm to 800 μm, and most typically from 200 μm to 600 μm.

FIG. 9 The cell-level gravimetric and volumetric energy densities plotted over the achievable electrode thickness range of the RGO-based EDLC supercapacitors (organic liquid electrolyte) prepared via the conventional method and the presently invented method. Legends: the gravimetric (♦) and volumetric (▴) energy density of the conventional supercapaitors (highest achieved electrode tap density of approximately 0.25 g/cm³) and the gravimetric (▪) and volumetric (X) energy density of the inventive supercapaitors (easily achieved electrode tap density of approximately 0.75 g/cm³).

FIG. 10 The cell-level gravimetric and volumetric energy densities plotted over the achievable electrode thickness range of the pristine graphene-based EDLC supercapacitors (organic liquid electrolyte) prepared via the conventional method and the presently invented method. Legends: the gravimetric (♦) and volumetric (▴) energy density of the conventional supercapaitors (highest achieved electrode tap density of approximately 0.25 g/cm³) and the gravimetric (▪) and volumetric (X) energy density of the inventive supercapaitors (electrode tap density of approximately 1.15 g/cm³).

FIG. 11 The cell-level gravimetric and volumetric energy densities plotted over the achievable electrode thickness range of the pristine graphene-based EDLC supercapacitors (ionic liquid electrolyte) prepared via the conventional method and the presently invented method. Legends: the gravimetric (♦) and volumetric (▴) energy density of the conventional supercapaitors (highest achieved electrode tap density of approximately 0.25 g/cm³) and the gravimetric (▪) and volumetric (X) energy density of the inventive supercapaitors (electrode tap density of approximately 1.15 g/cm³).

FIG. 12 The cell-level gravimetric energy densities plotted over the achievable active material proportion (active material weight/total cell weight) for activated carbon-based EDLC supercapacitors (with organic liquid electrolyte).

FIG. 13 The cell-level gravimetric energy densities plotted over the achievable active material proportion (active material weight/total cell weight) in a supercapacitor cell for two series of pristine graphene-based EDLC supercapacitors (all with organic liquid electrolyte).

FIG. 14 The cell-level volumetric energy densities plotted over the achievable active material proportion (active material weight/total cell weight) for pristine graphene-based EDLC supercapacitors (with ionic liquid electrolyte).

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The present invention may be understood more readily by reference to the following detailed description of the invention taken in connection with the accompanying drawing figures, which form a part of this disclosure. It is to be understood that this invention is not limited to the specific devices, methods, conditions or parameters described and/or shown herein, and that the terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments by way of example only and is not intended to be limiting of the claimed invention.

As schematically illustrated in FIG. 1(A), a prior art supercapacitor cell is typically composed of an anode current collector 202 (e.g. Al foil 12-15 μm thick), an anode active material layer 204 (containing an anode active material, such as activated carbon particles 232 and conductive additives that are bonded by a resin binder, such as PVDF), a porous separator 230, a cathode active material layer 208 (containing a cathode active material, such as activated carbon particles 234, and conductive additives that are all bonded by a resin binder, not shown), a cathode current collector 206 (e.g. Al foil), and a liquid electrolyte disposed in both the anode active material layer 204 (also simply referred to as the “anode layer”) and the cathode active material layer 208 (or simply “cathode layer”). The entire cell is encased in a protective housing, such as a thin plastic-aluminum foil laminate-based envelop.

The prior art supercapacitor cell is typically made by a process that includes the following steps:

-   -   a) The first step is mixing particles of the anode active         material (e.g. activated carbon), a conductive filler (e.g.         graphite flakes), a resin binder (e.g. PVDF) in a solvent (e.g.         NMP) to form an anode slurry. On a separate basis, particles of         the cathode active material (e.g. activated carbon), a         conductive filler (e.g. acetylene black), a resin binder (e.g.         PVDF) are mixed and dispersed in a solvent (e.g. NMP) to form a         cathode slurry.     -   b) The second step includes coating the anode slurry onto one or         both primary surfaces of an anode current collector (e.g. Cu or         Al foil), drying the coated layer by vaporizing the solvent         (e.g. NMP) to form a dried anode electrode coated on Cu or Al         foil. Similarly, the cathode slurry is coated and dried to form         a dried cathode electrode coated on Al foil.     -   c) The third step includes laminating an anode/Al foil sheet, a         porous separator layer, and a cathode/Al foil sheet together to         form a 3-layer or 5-layer assembly, which is cut and slit into         desired sizes and stacked to form a rectangular structure (as an         example of shape) or rolled into a cylindrical cell structure.     -   d) The rectangular or cylindrical laminated structure is then         encased in an aluminum-plastic laminated envelope or steel         casing.     -   e) A liquid electrolyte is then injected into the laminated         structure to make a supercapacitor cell.

There are several serious problems associated with the process and the resulting supercapacitor cell:

-   -   1) It is very difficult to produce an electrode layer (anode         layer or cathode layer) that is thicker than 100 μm and         practically impossible or impractical to produce an electrode         layer thicker than 200 μm. There are several reasons why this is         the case. An electrode of 100 μm thickness typically requires a         heating zone of 30-50 meters long in a slurry coating facility,         which is too time consuming, too energy intensive, and not         cost-effective. For some electrode active materials, such as         graphene sheets, it has not been possible to produce an         electrode thicker than 50 μm in a real manufacturing environment         on a continuous basis. This is despite the notion that some         thicker electrodes have been claimed in open or patent         literature, which were prepared in a laboratory on a small         scale. In a laboratory setting, presumably one could repeatedly         add new materials to a layer and manually consolidate the layer         to increase the thickness of an electrode. However, even with         such a procedure, the resulting electrode becomes very fragile         and brittle. This is even worse for graphene-based electrodes,         since repeated compressions lead to re-stacking of graphene         sheets and, hence, significantly reduced specific surface area         and reduced specific capacitance.     -   2) With a conventional process, as depicted in FIG. 1(A), the         actual mass loadings of the electrodes and the apparent         densities for the active materials are too low. In most cases,         the active material mass loadings of the electrodes (areal         density) is significantly lower than 10 mg/cm² and the apparent         volume density or tap density of the active material is         typically less than 0.75 g/cm³ (more typically less than 0.5         g/cm³ and most typically less than 0.3 g/cm³) even for         relatively large particles of activated carbon. In addition,         there are so many other non-active materials (e.g. conductive         additive and resin binder) that add additional weights and         volumes to the electrode without contributing to the cell         capacity. These low areal densities and low volume densities         result in relatively low volumetric capacitances and low         volumetric energy density.     -   3) The conventional process requires dispersing electrode active         materials (anode active material and cathode active material) in         a liquid solvent (e.g. NMP) to make a slurry and, upon coating         on a current collector surface, the liquid solvent has to be         removed to dry the electrode layer. Once the anode and cathode         layers, along with a separator layer, are laminated together and         packaged in a housing to make a supercapacitor cell, one then         injects a liquid electrolyte into the cell. In actuality, one         makes the two electrodes wet, then makes the electrodes dry, and         finally makes them wet again. Such a wet-dry-wet process does         not sound like a good process at all.     -   4) Current supercapacitors (e.g. symmetric supercapacitors or         electric double layer capacitors, EDLC) still suffer from a         relatively low gravimetric energy density and low volumetric         energy density. Commercially available EDLCs exhibit a         gravimetric energy density of approximately 6 Wh/kg and no         experimental EDLC cells have been reported to exhibit an energy         density higher than 10 Wh/kg (based on the total cell weight) at         room temperature. Although experimental supercapacitors exhibit         large volumetric electrode capacitances (100 to 200 F/cm³ in         most cases) at the electrode level (not the cell level), their         typical active mass loading of <1 mg/cm², tap density of <0.1         g/cm⁻³, and electrode thicknesses of up to tens of micrometers         remain significantly lower than those used in most commercially         available electrochemical capacitors, resulting in energy         storage devices with relatively low areal and volumetric         capacities and low volumetric energy densities based on the cell         (device) weight.         -   In literature, the energy density data reported based on             either the active material weight alone or electrode weight             cannot directly translate into the energy densities of a             practical supercapacitor cell or device. The “overhead             weight” or weights of other device components (binder,             conductive additive, current collectors, separator,             electrolyte, and packaging) must also be taken into account.             The convention production process results in an active             material proportion being less than 30% by weight of the             total cell weight (<15% in some cases; e.g. for             graphene-based active material).

The present invention provides a process for producing a supercapacitor cell having a high electrode thickness (thickness of the electrode that contains electrode active materials, not including the thickness of any active material-free current collector layer, if existing), high active material mass loading, low overhead weight and volume, high volumetric capacitance, and high volumetric energy density. In one embodiment, as illustrated in FIGS. 1(B) and 1(C), the invented process comprises:

-   -   (A) Assembling a porous cell framework composed of a first         conductive foam structure 236 as an anode current collector, a         second conductive foam structure as a cathode current collector         238, and a porous separator 240 disposed between the first and         second conductive foam structure;         -   a. The first and/or second conductive foam structure has a             thickness no less than 100 μm (preferably greater than 200             μm, more preferably greater than 300 μm, further preferably             greater than 400 μm, and most preferably greater than 500             μm) and at least 80% by volume of pores (preferably at least             85% porosity, more preferably at least 90%, and most             preferably at least 95%);         -   b. These foam structures have essentially a porosity level             of 80%-99% and remaining 1%-20% being pore walls (e.g. metal             or graphite skeleton). These pores are used to accommodate a             mixture of active materials (e.g. graphene sheets) and             liquid electrolyte, where electric double layers or redox             pairs are present when the supercapacitor is charged.     -   (B) Preparing a first suspension of an anode active material         dispersed in a first liquid electrolyte and a second suspension         of a cathode active material dispersed in a second liquid         electrolyte, wherein the anode active material and/or the         cathode active material contains multiple particles of a carbon         material and/or multiple graphene sheets, wherein the multiple         graphene sheets contain single-layer graphene or few-layer         graphene each having from 1 to 10 graphene planes and the         multiple particles of carbon material have a specific surface         area no less than 500 m²/g when measured in a dried state; and     -   (C) Injecting the first suspension into pores of the first         conductive foam structure to form an anode and injecting the         second suspension into pores of the second conductive foam         structure to form a cathode to an extent that the anode active         material or the cathode active material constitutes an electrode         active material loading no less than 7 mg/cm² in the anode or         the cathode, wherein the anode, the separator, and the cathode         are assembled in a protective housing.         -   a. Preferably, substantially all of the pores are filled             with the electrode (anode or cathode) active material and             liquid electrolyte. The anode active material may be the             same as or different from the cathode active material.         -   b. Since there are great amounts of pores (80-99%) relative             to the pore walls (1-20%), very little space is wasted             (“being wasted” means not being occupied by the electrode             active material and electrolyte), resulting in high amounts             of electrode active material-electrolyte zones (high active             material loading mass).         -   c. Shown in FIG. 1(B) is a situation, wherein the porous             foam structure for the anode (anode current collector 236)             has been partially filled with the first suspension (anode             active material dispersed in the liquid electrolyte). The             top portion 240 of the anode current collector foam 236             remains empty, but the lower portion 244 has been filled             with the anode suspension. Similarly, the top portion 242 of             the cathode current collector foam 238 remains empty and the             lower portion 246 has been filled with the cathode             suspension (cathode active material dispersed in the liquid             electrolyte). The four arrows represent the suspension             injection directions.

Shown in FIG. 1(C) is a situation, wherein both the anode current collector foam and the cathode current collector form have been filled with their respective suspensions. As an example, a foam pore 250, in an enlarged view, is filled with the anode suspension containing graphene sheets 252 (an electrode active material) and liquid electrolyte layers 254 that are packed in an alternating manner.

In such a configuration, the charges (electrons) only have to travel a short distance (half of the pore size, on average; e.g. a few micrometers) before they are collected by the current collector (pore walls). Additionally, in each suspension, graphene sheets are dispersed in a liquid electrolyte (i.e. each graphene sheet is surrounded by liquid electrolyte). Upon injection into the pores of the anode or cathode current collector foam, the slurry (suspension) remains in a dispersion or suspension state, in which individual graphene sheets remain surrounded by the liquid electrolyte, totally eliminating the possibility of graphene sheets being fully re-stacked that otherwise would result in the specific surface area being significantly reduced. Thus, the presently invented process produces a totally unexpected advantage over the conventional supercapacitor cell production process.

In a preferred embodiment, the graphene electrode material is selected from pristine graphene, graphene oxide, reduced graphene oxide, graphene fluoride, graphene chloride, graphene bromide, graphene iodide, hydrogenated graphene, nitrogenated graphene, chemically functionalized graphene, or a combination thereof. The starting graphitic material for producing any one of the above graphene materials may be selected from natural graphite, artificial graphite, meso-phase carbon, meso-phase pitch, meso-carbon micro-bead, soft carbon, hard carbon, coke, carbon fiber, carbon nano-fiber, carbon nano-tube, or a combination thereof.

Bulk natural graphite is a 3-D graphitic material with each graphite particle being composed of multiple grains (a grain being a graphite single crystal or crystallite) with grain boundaries (amorphous or defect zones) demarcating neighboring graphite single crystals. Each grain is composed of multiple graphene planes that are oriented parallel to one another. A graphene plane in a graphite crystallite is composed of carbon atoms occupying a two-dimensional, hexagonal lattice. In a given grain or single crystal, the graphene planes are stacked and bonded via van der Waal forces in the crystallographic c-direction (perpendicular to the graphene plane or basal plane). Although all the graphene planes in one grain are parallel to one another, typically the graphene planes in one grain and the graphene planes in an adjacent grain are inclined at different orientations. In other words, the orientations of the various grains in a graphite particle typically differ from one grain to another.

The constituent graphene planes of a graphite crystallite in a natural or artificial graphite particle can be exfoliated and extracted or isolated to obtain individual graphene sheets of hexagonal carbon atoms, which are single-atom thick, provided the inter-planar van der Waals forces can be overcome. An isolated, individual graphene plane of carbon atoms is commonly referred to as single-layer graphene. A stack of multiple graphene planes bonded through van der Waals forces in the thickness direction with an inter-graphene plane spacing of approximately 0.3354 nm is commonly referred to as a multi-layer graphene. A multi-layer graphene platelet has up to 300 layers of graphene planes (<100 nm in thickness), but more typically up to 30 graphene planes (<10 nm in thickness), even more typically up to 20 graphene planes (<7 nm in thickness), and most typically up to 10 graphene planes (commonly referred to as few-layer graphene in scientific community). Single-layer graphene and multi-layer graphene sheets are collectively called “nano graphene platelets” (NGPs). Graphene sheets/platelets (collectively, NGPs) are a new class of carbon nano material (a 2-D nano carbon) that is distinct from the 0-D fullerene, the 1-D CNT or CNF, and the 3-D graphite. For the purpose of defining the claims and as is commonly understood in the art, a graphene material (isolated graphene sheets) is not (and does not include) a carbon nanotube (CNT) or a carbon nano-fiber (CNF).

Our research group pioneered the development of graphene materials and related production processes as early as 2002: (1) B. Z. Jang and W. C. Huang, “Nano-scaled Graphene Plates,” U.S. Pat. No. 7,071,258 (Jul. 4, 2006), application submitted on Oct. 21, 2002; (2) B. Z. Jang, et al. “Process for Producing Nano-scaled Graphene Plates,” U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/858,814 (Jun. 3, 2004); and (3) B. Z. Jang, A. Zhamu, and J. Guo, “Process for Producing Nano-scaled Platelets and Nanocomposites,” U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/509,424 (Aug. 25, 2006).

In one process, graphene materials are obtained by intercalating natural graphite particles with a strong acid and/or an oxidizing agent to obtain a graphite intercalation compound (GIC) or graphite oxide (GO), as illustrated in FIG. 4(A) and FIG. 4(B) (schematic drawings). The presence of chemical species or functional groups in the interstitial spaces between graphene planes in a GIC or GO serves to increase the inter-graphene spacing (d₀₀₂, as determined by X-ray diffraction), thereby significantly reducing the van der Waals forces that otherwise hold graphene planes together along the c-axis direction. The GIC or GO is most often produced by immersing natural graphite powder (100 in FIG. 4(B)) in a mixture of sulfuric acid, nitric acid (an oxidizing agent), and another oxidizing agent (e.g. potassium permanganate or sodium perchlorate). The resulting GIC (102) is actually some type of graphite oxide (GO) particles if an oxidizing agent is present during the intercalation procedure. This GIC or GO is then repeatedly washed and rinsed in water to remove excess acids, resulting in a graphite oxide suspension or dispersion, which contains discrete and visually discernible graphite oxide particles dispersed in water. In order to produce graphene materials, one can follow one of the two processing routes after this rinsing step, briefly described below:

Route 1 involves removing water from the suspension to obtain “expandable graphite,” which is essentially a mass of dried GIC or dried graphite oxide particles. Upon exposure of expandable graphite to a temperature in the range of typically 800-1,050° C. for approximately 30 seconds to 2 minutes, the GIC undergoes a rapid volume expansion by a factor of 30-300 to form “graphite worms” (104), which are each a collection of exfoliated, but largely un-separated graphite flakes that remain interconnected.

In Route 1A, these graphite worms (exfoliated graphite or “networks of interconnected/non-separated graphite flakes”) can be re-compressed to obtain flexible graphite sheets or foils (106) that typically have a thickness in the range of 0.1 mm (100 μm)-0.5 mm (500 μm). Alternatively, one may choose to use a low-intensity air mill or shearing machine to simply break up the graphite worms for the purpose of producing the so-called “expanded graphite flakes” (108) which contain mostly graphite flakes or platelets thicker than 100 nm (hence, not a nano material by definition).

In Route 1B, the exfoliated graphite is subjected to high-intensity mechanical shearing (e.g. using an ultrasonicator, high-shear mixer, high-intensity air jet mill, or high-energy ball mill) to form separated single-layer and multi-layer graphene sheets (collectively called NGPs, 112), as disclosed in our U.S. application Ser. No. 10/858,814 (Jun. 3, 2004). Single-layer graphene can be as thin as 0.34 nm, while multi-layer graphene can have a thickness up to 100 nm, but more typically less than 10 nm (commonly referred to as few-layer graphene). Multiple graphene sheets or platelets may be made into a sheet of NGP paper using a paper-making process. This sheet of NGP paper is an example of the porous graphene structure layer utilized in the presently invented process.

Route 2 entails ultrasonicating the graphite oxide suspension (e.g. graphite oxide particles dispersed in water) for the purpose of separating/isolating individual graphene oxide sheets from graphite oxide particles. This is based on the notion that the inter-graphene plane separation bas been increased from 0.3354 nm in natural graphite to 0.6-1.1 nm in highly oxidized graphite oxide, significantly weakening the van der Waals forces that hold neighboring planes together. Ultrasonic power can be sufficient to further separate graphene plane sheets to form fully separated, isolated, or discrete graphene oxide (GO) sheets. These graphene oxide sheets can then be chemically or thermally reduced to obtain “reduced graphene oxides” (RGO) typically having an oxygen content of 0.001%-10% by weight, more typically 0.01%-5% by weight, most typically and preferably less than 2% by weight of oxygen.

For the purpose of defining the claims of the instant application, NGPs or graphene materials include discrete sheets/platelets of single-layer and multi-layer (typically less than 10 layers) pristine graphene, graphene oxide, reduced graphene oxide (RGO), graphene fluoride, graphene chloride, graphene bromide, graphene iodide, hydrogenated graphene, nitrogenated graphene, chemically functionalized graphene, doped graphene (e.g. doped by B or N). Pristine graphene has essentially 0% oxygen. RGO typically has an oxygen content of 0.001%-5% by weight. Graphene oxide (including RGO) can have 0.001%-50% by weight of oxygen. Other than pristine graphene, all the graphene materials have 0.001%-50% by weight of non-carbon elements (e.g. O, H, N, B, F, Cl, Br, I, etc.). These materials are herein referred to as non-pristine graphene materials.

Pristine graphene, in smaller discrete graphene sheets (typically 0.3 μm to 10 μm), may be produced by direct ultrasonication (also known as liquid phase exfoliation or production) or supercritical fluid exfoliation of graphite particles. These processes are well-known in the art.

The graphene oxide (GO) may be obtained by immersing powders or filaments of a starting graphitic material (e.g. natural graphite powder) in an oxidizing liquid medium (e.g. a mixture of sulfuric acid, nitric acid, and potassium permanganate) in a reaction vessel at a desired temperature for a period of time (typically from 0.5 to 96 hours, depending upon the nature of the starting material and the type of oxidizing agent used). As previously described above, the resulting graphite oxide particles may then be subjected to thermal exfoliation or ultrasonic wave-induced exfoliation to produce isolated GO sheets. These GO sheets can then be converted into various graphene materials by substituting —OH groups with other chemical groups (e.g. —Br, NH₂, etc.).

Fluorinated graphene or graphene fluoride is herein used as an example of the halogenated graphene material group. There are two different approaches that have been followed to produce fluorinated graphene: (1) fluorination of pre-synthesized graphene: This approach entails treating graphene prepared by mechanical exfoliation or by CVD growth with fluorinating agent such as XeF₂, or F-based plasmas; (2) Exfoliation of multilayered graphite fluorides: Both mechanical exfoliation and liquid phase exfoliation of graphite fluoride can be readily accomplished.

Interaction of F₂ with graphite at high temperature leads to covalent graphite fluorides (CF)_(n) or (C₂F)_(n), while at low temperatures graphite intercalation compounds (GIC) C_(x)F (2≦x≦24) form. In (CF)_(n) carbon atoms are sp3-hybridized and thus the fluorocarbon layers are corrugated consisting of trans-linked cyclohexane chairs. In (C₂F)_(n) only half of the C atoms are fluorinated and every pair of the adjacent carbon sheets are linked together by covalent C—C bonds. Systematic studies on the fluorination reaction showed that the resulting F/C ratio is largely dependent on the fluorination temperature, the partial pressure of the fluorine in the fluorinating gas, and physical characteristics of the graphite precursor, including the degree of graphitization, particle size, and specific surface area. In addition to fluorine (F₂), other fluorinating agents may be used, although most of the available literature involves fluorination with F₂ gas, sometimes in presence of fluorides.

For exfoliating a layered precursor material to the state of individual layers or few-layers, it is necessary to overcome the attractive forces between adjacent layers and to further stabilize the layers. This may be achieved by either covalent modification of the graphene surface by functional groups or by non-covalent modification using specific solvents, surfactants, polymers, or donor-acceptor aromatic molecules. The process of liquid phase exfoliation includes ultra-sonic treatment of a graphite fluoride in a liquid medium.

The nitrogenation of graphene can be conducted by exposing a graphene material, such as graphene oxide, to ammonia at high temperatures (200-400° C.). Nitrogenated graphene could also be formed at lower temperatures by a hydrothermal method; e.g. by sealing GO and ammonia in an autoclave and then increased the temperature to 150-250° C. Other methods to synthesize nitrogen doped graphene include nitrogen plasma treatment on graphene, arc-discharge between graphite electrodes in the presence of ammonia, ammonolysis of graphene oxide under CVD conditions, and hydrothermal treatment of graphene oxide and urea at different temperatures.

The aforementioned features are further described and explained in detail as follows: As illustrated in FIG. 4(B), a graphite particle (e.g. 100) is typically composed of multiple graphite crystallites or grains. A graphite crystallite is made up of layer planes of hexagonal networks of carbon atoms. These layer planes of hexagonally arranged carbon atoms are substantially flat and are oriented or ordered so as to be substantially parallel and equidistant to one another in a particular crystallite. These layers of hexagonal-structured carbon atoms, commonly referred to as graphene layers or basal planes, are weakly bonded together in their thickness direction (crystallographic c-axis direction) by weak van der Waals forces and groups of these graphene layers are arranged in crystallites. The graphite crystallite structure is usually characterized in terms of two axes or directions: the c-axis direction and the a-axis (or b-axis) direction. The c-axis is the direction perpendicular to the basal planes. The a- or b-axes are the directions parallel to the basal planes (perpendicular to the c-axis direction).

A highly ordered graphite particle can consist of crystallites of a considerable size, having a length of L_(a) along the crystallographic a-axis direction, a width of L_(b) along the crystallographic b-axis direction, and a thickness L_(c) along the crystallographic c-axis direction. The constituent graphene planes of a crystallite are highly aligned or oriented with respect to each other and, hence, these anisotropic structures give rise to many properties that are highly directional. For instance, the thermal and electrical conductivity of a crystallite are of great magnitude along the plane directions (a- or b-axis directions), but relatively low in the perpendicular direction (c-axis). As illustrated in the upper-left portion of FIG. 4(B), different crystallites in a graphite particle are typically oriented in different directions and, hence, a particular property of a multi-crystallite graphite particle is the directional average value of all the constituent crystallites.

Due to the weak van der Waals forces holding the parallel graphene layers, natural graphite can be treated so that the spacing between the graphene layers can be appreciably opened up so as to provide a marked expansion in the c-axis direction, and thus form an expanded graphite structure in which the laminar character of the carbon layers is substantially retained. The process for manufacturing flexible graphite is well-known in the art. In general, flakes of natural graphite (e.g. 100 in FIG. 4(B)) are intercalated in an acid solution to produce graphite intercalation compounds (GICs, 102). The GICs are washed, dried, and then exfoliated by exposure to a high temperature for a short period of time. This causes the flakes to expand or exfoliate in the c-axis direction of the graphite up to 80-300 times of their original dimensions. The exfoliated graphite flakes are vermiform in appearance and, hence, are commonly referred to as graphite worms 104. These worms of graphite flakes which have been greatly expanded can be formed without the use of a binder into cohesive or integrated sheets of expanded graphite, e.g. webs, papers, strips, tapes, foils, mats or the like (typically referred to as “flexible graphite” 106) having a typical density of about 0.04-2.0 g/cm³ for most applications.

Acids, such as sulfuric acid, are not the only type of intercalating agent (intercalant) that penetrate into spaces between graphene planes to obtain GICs. Many other types of intercalating agents, such as alkali metals (Li, K, Na, Cs, and their alloys or eutectics), can be used to intercalate graphite to stage 1, stage 2, stage 3, etc. Stage n implies one intercalant layer for every n graphene planes. For instance, a stage-1 potassium-intercalated GIC means there is one layer of K for every graphene plane; or, one can find one layer of K atoms inserted between two adjacent graphene planes in a G/K/G/K/G/KG . . . sequence, where G is a graphene plane and K is a potassium atom plane. A stage-2 GIC will have a sequence of GG/K/GG/K/GG/K/GG . . . and a stage-3 GIC will have a sequence of GGG/K/GGG/K/GGG . . . , etc. These GICs can then be brought in contact with water or water-alcohol mixture to produce exfoliated graphite and/or separated/isolated graphene sheets.

Exfoliated graphite worms may be subjected to high-intensity mechanical shearing/separation treatments using a high-intensity air jet mill, high-intensity ball mill, or ultrasonic device to produce separated nano graphene platelets (NGPs) with all the graphene platelets thinner than 100 nm, mostly thinner than 10 nm, and, in many cases, being single-layer graphene (also illustrated as 112 in FIG. 4(B)). An NGP is composed of a graphene sheet or a plurality of graphene sheets with each sheet being a two-dimensional, hexagonal structure of carbon atoms. A mass of multiple NGPs (including discrete sheets/platelets of single-layer and/or few-layer graphene or graphene oxide may be made into a graphene film/paper (114 in FIG. 4(B)) using a film- or paper-making process. Alternatively, with a low-intensity shearing, graphite worms tend to be separated into the so-called expanded graphite flakes (108 in FIG. 4(B) having a thickness >100 nm. These flakes can be formed into graphite paper or mat 106 using a paper- or mat-making process, with or without a resin binder.

Despite the fact that individual graphene sheets have an exceptionally high specific surface area, graphene sheets have a great tendency to re-stack together or to overlap with one another, thereby dramatically reducing the specific capacitance due to the significantly reduced specific surface area that is accessible by the electrolyte. This tendency to re-stack is particularly acute during the supercapacitor cell electrode production process. In this process, graphene sheets, along with other conductive additive and resin binder (e.g. PVDF), are dispersed in a solvent (typically NMP) to form a slurry, which is then coated on a surface of a solid current collector (e.g. Al foil). The solvent is then removed (vaporized) to form a dried layer of active material electrode, which is then fed through a pair of rollers in a compression machine to consolidate the electrode layer. These drying and compressing procedures induce severe graphene re-stacking. In many of the scientific reports, even though the graphene sheets in an original powder form were found to exhibit an exceptionally high specific surface area, the resulting electrode only shows an unexpectedly lower specific capacitance. Theoretically, the maximum specific capacitance of a single-layer graphene-based supercapacitor is as high as 550 F/g (based on an EDLC structure, no redox pair or pseudo-capacitance), but experimentally achieved values have been in the range of mere 90-170 F/g. This has been a long-standing problem in the art of supercapacitors.

The present invention provides a highly innovative and elegant process to overcome this graphene sheet re-stacking issue. This invented process completely eliminates the need to go through slurry coating, drying, and compressing procedures. Instead of forming a slurry containing an environmentally undesirable solvent (i.e. NMP), the process entails dispersing graphene sheets in a liquid electrolyte to form a slurry of electrode active material-liquid electrolyte mixture. This mixture slurry is then injected into pores of a conductive foam-based current collector; no subsequent drying and compressing are required and no or little possibility of graphene sheets re-stacking together. Furthermore, graphene sheets are already pre-dispersed in a liquid electrolyte, implying that essentially all graphene surfaces are naturally accessible to the electrolyte, leaving behind no “dry pockets”. This process also enables us to pack graphene sheets (with electrolyte in between) in a highly compact manner, giving rise to an unexpectedly high electrode active material tap density.

The graphene sheets used in the aforementioned process may be subjected to the following treatments, separately or in combination:

-   -   (a) Being chemically functionalized or doped with atomic, ionic,         or molecular species. Useful surface functional groups may         include quinone, hydroquinone, quaternized aromatic amines,         mercaptans, or disulfides. This class of functional groups can         impart pseudo-capacitance to graphene-based supercapacitors.     -   (b) coated or grafted with an intrinsically conductive polymer         (conducting polymers, such as polyacetylene, polypyrrole,         polyaniline, polythiophene, and their derivatives, are good         choices for use in the present invention); These treatments are         intended for further increasing the capacitance value through         pseudo-capacitance effects such as redox reactions.     -   (c) deposition with transition metal oxides or sulfides, such as         RuO₂, TiO₂, MnO₂, Cr₂O₃, and Co₂O₃, for the purpose of forming         redox pairs with graphene sheets, thereby imparting         pseudo-capacitance to the electrode; and     -   (d) subjected to an activation treatment (analogous to         activation of carbon black materials) to create additional         surfaces and possibly imparting functional chemical groups to         these surfaces. The activation treatment can be accomplished         through CO₂ physical activation, KOH chemical activation, or         exposure to nitric acid, fluorine, or ammonia plasma.

We have discovered that a wide variety of two-dimensional (2D) inorganic materials can be used in the presented invented supercapacitors prepared by the invented direct active material-electrolyte injection process. Layered materials represent a diverse source of 2D systems that can exhibit unexpected electronic properties and high specific surface areas that are important for Supercapacitor applications. Although graphite is the best known layered material, transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs), transition metal oxides (TMOs), and a broad array of other compounds, such as BN, Bi₂Te₃, and Bi₂Se₃, are also potential sources of 2D materials.

Non-graphene 2D nano materials, single-layer or few-layer (up to 20 layers), can be produced by several methods: mechanical cleavage, laser ablation (e.g. using laser pulses to ablate TMDs down to a single layer), liquid phase exfoliation, and synthesis by thin film techniques, such as PVD (e.g. sputtering), evaporation, vapor phase epitaxy, liquid phase epitaxy, chemical vapor epitaxy, molecular beam epitaxy (MBE), atomic layer epitaxy (ALE), and their plasma-assisted versions.

We have surprisingly discovered that most of these inorganic materials, when in a 2D nano-disc, nano-platelet, nano-belt, or nano-ribbon form, exhibit remarkable EDLC values, even though these inorganic materials are normally considered as electrically non-conducting and, hence, not a candidate supercapacitor electrode material. The supercapacitance values are exceptionally high when these 2D nano materials are used in combination with a small amount of nano graphene sheets (particularly single-layer graphene). The required single-layer graphene can be from 0.1% to 50% by weight, more preferably from 0.5% to 25%, and most preferably from 1% to 15% by weight.

In the instant invention, there is no limitation on the type of liquid electrolytes that can be used in the supercapacitor: aqueous, organic, gel, and ionic liquid. Typically, electrolytes for supercapacitors consist of solvent and dissolved chemicals (e.g. salts) that dissociate into positive ions (cations) and negative ions (anions), making the electrolyte electrically conductive. The more ions the electrolyte contains, the better its conductivity, which also influences the capacitance. In supercapacitors, the electrolyte provides the molecules for the separating monolayer in the Helmholtz double-layer (electric double layer) and delivers the ions for pseudocapacitance.

Water is a relatively good solvent for dissolving inorganic chemicals. When added together with acids such as sulfuric acid (H₂SO₄), alkalis such as potassium hydroxide (KOH), or salts such as quaternary phosphonium salts, sodium perchlorate (NaClO₄), lithium perchlorate (LiClO₄) or lithium hexafluoride arsenate (LiAsF₆), water offers relatively high conductivity values. Aqueous electrolytes have a dissociation voltage of 1.15 V per electrode and a relatively low operating temperature range. Water electrolyte-based supercapacitors exhibit low energy density.

Alternatively, electrolytes may contain organic solvents, such as acetonitrile, propylene carbonate, tetrahydrofuran, diethyl carbonate, γ-butyrolactone, and solutes with quaternary ammonium salts or alkyl ammonium salts such as tetraethylammonium tetrafluoroborate (N(Et)₄BF₄) or triethyl (methyl) tetrafluoroborate (NMe(Et)₃BF₄). Organic electrolytes are more expensive than aqueous electrolytes, but they have a higher dissociation voltage of typically 1.35 V per electrode (2.7 V capacitor voltage), and a higher temperature range. The lower electrical conductivity of organic solvents (10 to 60 mS/cm) leads to a lower power density, but a higher energy density since the energy density is proportional to the square of the voltage.

The ionic liquid is composed of ions only. Ionic liquids are low melting temperature salts that are in a molten or liquid state when above a desired temperature. For instance, a salt is considered as an ionic liquid if its melting point is below 100° C. If the melting temperature is equal to or lower than room temperature (25° C.), the salt is referred to as a room temperature ionic liquid (RTIL). The IL salts are characterized by weak interactions, due to the combination of a large cation and a charge-delocalized anion. This results in a low tendency to crystallize due to flexibility (anion) and asymmetry (cation).

A typical and well-known ionic liquid is formed by the combination of a 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium (EMI) cation and an N,N-bis(trifluoromethane)sulphonamide (TFSI) anion. This combination gives a fluid with an ionic conductivity comparable to many organic electrolyte solutions and a low decomposition propensity and low vapor pressure up to ˜300-400° C. This implies a generally low volatility and non-flammability and, hence, a much safer electrolyte for batteries.

Ionic liquids are basically composed of organic ions that come in an essentially unlimited number of structural variations owing to the preparation ease of a large variety of their components. Thus, various kinds of salts can be used to design the ionic liquid that has the desired properties for a given application. These include, among others, imidazolium, pyrrolidinium and quaternary ammonium salts as cations and bis(trifluoromethanesulphonyl) imide, bis(fluorosulphonyl)imide, and hexafluorophosphate as anions. Based on their compositions, ionic liquids come in different classes that basically include aprotic, protic and zwitterionic types, each one suitable for a specific application.

Common cations of room temperature ionic liquids (RTILs) include, but not limited to, tetraalkylammonium, di-, tri-, and tetra-alkylimidazolium, alkylpyridinium, dialkyl-pyrrolidinium, dialkylpiperidinium, tetraalkylphosphonium, and trialkylsulfonium. Common anions of RTILs include, but not limited to, BF₄ ⁻, B(CN)₄ ⁻, CH₃BF₃ ⁻, CH2CHBF₃ ⁻, CF₃BF₃ ⁻, C₂F₅BF₃ ⁻, n-C₃F₇BF₃ ⁻, n-C₄F₉BF₃ ⁻, PF₆ ⁻, CF₃CO₂ ⁻, CF₃SO₃ ⁻, N(SO₂CF₃)₂ ⁻, N(COCF₃)(SO₂CF₃)⁻, N(SO₂F)₂ ⁻, N(CN)₂ ⁻, C(CN)₃ ⁻, SCN⁻, SeCN⁻, CuCl₂ ⁻, AlCl₄ ⁻, F(HF)_(2.3) ⁻, etc. Relatively speaking, the combination of imidazolium- or sulfonium-based cations and complex halide anions such as AlCl₄ ⁻, BF₄ ⁻, CF₃CO₂ ⁻, CF₃SO₃ ⁻, NTf₂ ⁻, N(SO₂F)₂ ⁻, or F(HF)_(2.3) ⁻ results in RTILs with good working conductivities.

RTILs can possess archetypical properties such as high intrinsic ionic conductivity, high thermal stability, low volatility, low (practically zero) vapor pressure, non-flammability, the ability to remain liquid at a wide range of temperatures above and below room temperature, high polarity, high viscosity, and wide electrochemical windows. These properties, except for the high viscosity, are desirable attributes when it comes to using an RTIL as an electrolyte ingredient (a salt and/or a solvent) in a supercapacitor.

In order to make a pseudo-capacitor (a aupercapacitor that works on the development of pseudo-capacitance through redox pair formation), the anode active material or cathode active material may be designed to contain graphene sheets and a redox pair partner material selected from a metal oxide, a conducting polymer, an organic material, a non-graphene carbon material, an inorganic material, or a combination thereof. Many of the materials that can pair up with reduced graphene oxide sheets are well-known in the art. In this study, we have come to realize that graphene halogenide (e.g. graphene fluoride), graphene hydrogenide, and nitrogenated graphene can work with a wide variety of partner materials to form a redox pair for developing pseudo-capacitance.

For instance, the metal oxide or inorganic materials that serve in such a role include RuO₂, IrO₂, NiO, MnO₂, VO₂, V₂O₅, V₃O₈, TiO₂, Cr₂O₃, CO₂O₃, Co₃O₄, PbO₂, Ag₂O, MoC_(x), Mo₂N, or a combination thereof. In general, the inorganic material may be selected from a metal carbide, metal nitride, metal boride, metal dichalcogenide, or a combination thereof. Preferably, the desired metal oxide or inorganic material is selected from an oxide, dichalcogenide, trichalcogenide, sulfide, selenide, or telluride of niobium, zirconium, molybdenum, hafnium, tantalum, tungsten, titanium, vanadium, chromium, cobalt, manganese, iron, or nickel in a nanowire, nano-disc, nano-ribbon, or nano platelet form. These materials can be in the form of a simple mixture with sheets of a graphene material, but preferably in a nano particle or nano coating form that that is physically or chemically bonded to a surface of the graphene sheets prior to be formed into a slurry and injected into the pores of the porous current collectors.

In what follows, we provide some examples of several different types of graphene materials, other types of electrode active materials (e.g. activated carbon and select inorganic materials), redox pair partner materials, and porous current collector materials (e.g. graphite foam, graphene foam, and metal foam) to illustrate the best mode of practicing the instant invention. Theses illustrative examples and other portions of instant specification and drawings, separately or in combinations, are more than adequate to enable a person of ordinary skill in the art to practice the instant invention. However, these examples should not be construed as limiting the scope of instant invention.

EXAMPLE 1 Graphene from Carbon/Graphite Fibers

Continuous graphite fiber yarns were cut into segments of 5 mm long and then ball-milled for 48 hours. Approximately 20 grams of these milled fibers were immersed in a mixture of 2 L of formic acid and 0.1 L of hydrogen peroxide at 45° C. for 60 hours. Following the chemical oxidation intercalation treatment, the resulting intercalated fibers were washed with water and dried. The resulting product is a formic acid-intercalated graphite fiber material containing graphite oxide crystallites.

Subsequently, approximately ½ of the intercalated or oxidized fiber sample was transferred to a furnace pre-set at a temperature of 1,000° C. for 30 seconds. The compound was found to induce extremely rapid and high expansions of graphite crystallites. Approximately half of the as-exfoliated graphite fibers were subjected to de-oxygenation at 1,100° C. for 20 minutes in a nitrogen atmosphere to obtain reduced exfoliated graphite. A small amount each of the two materials was separately mixed with an aqueous ethanol solution to form two separate suspensions, which were subjected to further separation of exfoliated flakes using an ultrasonicator. Both graphite oxide platelets and reduced GO platelets (RGO) were found to be well-dispersed in the aqueous solution.

Two separate processes were conducted to prepare supercapacitor cells featuring GO, reduced graphene oxide sheets (RGO), and RGO-carbon mixtures as electrode active materials. One process is conducted according to the presently invented direct injection of active material-electrolyte mixture slurry into pores of foamed current collectors. For comparison, the other process is the conventional one that includes the steps of electrode coating on solid current collectors and drying, lamination of coated current collectors and a separator disposed between the two current collectors, encasing of the laminated structure, and injection of liquid electrolyte into the encased cell.

In one series of samples, activated carbon (AC) particles and multi-walled carbon nanotubes (CNT) were separately added into the GO and RGO suspensions, respectively, with an AC-to-GO ratio of 5/95 and CNT-to-RGO ratio of 10/90. The resulting suspension was then impregnated into the pores of foamed current collectors (Ni foam) having a 95% porosity. Supercapacitor cells containing pure GO or NGP alone as the electrode active material were also made.

In the present study, electrode active materials were also chosen based on graphene sheets in combination with an inorganic material, which includes nano discs, nano platelets, or nano sheets of an inorganic material selected from: (a) bismuth selenide, (b) transition metal dichalcogenide, (c) sulfide or selenide of zirconium, molybdenum, titanium, cobalt, manganese, iron, and nickel; and (d) boron nitride.

EXAMPLE 2 Preparation of Graphene Oxide (GO) and Reduced Graphene Oxide (RGO) Nano Sheets from Natural Graphite Powder

Natural graphite from Huadong Graphite Co. (Qingdao, China) was used as the starting material. GO was obtained by following the well-known modified Hummers method, which involved two oxidation stages. In a typical procedure, the first oxidation was achieved in the following conditions: 1100 mg of graphite was placed in a 1000 mL boiling flask. Then, 20 g of K₂S₂O₈, 20 g of P₂O₅, and 400 mL of a concentrated aqueous solution of H₂SO₄ (96%) were added in the flask. The mixture was heated under reflux for 6 hours and then let without disturbing for 20 hours at room temperature. Oxidized graphite was filtered and rinsed with abundant distilled water until neutral pH. A wet cake-like material was recovered at the end of this first oxidation.

For the second oxidation process, the previously collected wet cake was placed in a boiling flask that contains 69 mL of a concentrated aqueous solution of H₂SO₄ (96%). The flask was kept in an ice bath as 9 g of KMnO₄ was slowly added. Care was taken to avoid overheating. The resulting mixture was stirred at 35° C. for 2 hours (the sample color turning dark green), followed by the addition of 140 mL of water. After 15 min, the reaction was halted by adding 420 mL of water and 15 mL of an aqueous solution of 30 wt % H₂O₂. The color of the sample at this stage turned bright yellow. To remove the metallic ions, the mixture was filtered and rinsed with a 1:10 HCl aqueous solution. The collected material was gently centrifuged at 2700 g and rinsed with deionized water. The final product was a wet cake that contained 1.4 wt % of GO, as estimated from dry extracts. Subsequently, liquid dispersions of GO platelets were obtained by lightly sonicating wet-cake materials, which were diluted in deionized water.

Surfactant-stabilized RGO (RGO-BS) was obtained by diluting the wet-cake in an aqueous solution of surfactants instead of pure water. A commercially available mixture of cholate sodium (50 wt. %) and deoxycholate sodium (50 wt. %) salts provided by Sigma Aldrich was used. The surfactant weight fraction was 0.5 wt. %. This fraction was kept constant for all samples. Sonication was performed using a Branson Sonifier S-250A equipped with a 13 mm step disruptor horn and a 3 mm tapered micro-tip, operating at a 20 kHz frequency. For instance, 10 mL of aqueous solutions containing 0.1 wt. % of GO was sonicated for 10 min and subsequently centrifuged at 2700 g for 30 min to remove any non-dissolved large particles, aggregates, and impurities. Chemical reduction of as-obtained GO to yield RGO was conducted by following the method, which involved placing 10 mL of a 0.1 wt. % GO aqueous solution in a boiling flask of 50 mL. Then, 10 μL of a 35 wt. % aqueous solution of N₂H₄ (hydrazine) and 70 mL of a 28 wt. % of an aqueous solution of NH₄OH (ammonia) were added to the mixture, which was stabilized by surfactants. The solution was heated to 90° C. and refluxed for 1 h. The pH value measured after the reaction was approximately 9. The color of the sample turned dark black during the reduction reaction.

After chemical reduction of GO to become RGO, the dried ROG powder was dispersed in an organic electrolyte (acetonitrile+N(Et)₄BF₄) to form an organic RGO slurry. GO powder was separately dispersed in sulfuric acid-based electrolyte to form an aqueous GO slurry. The two slurries were separately injected into the anode and cathode chambers (Ni foam) of two separate EDLC supercapacitor cells.

For comparison purposes, slurry coating and drying procedures were conducted to produce conventional electrodes. Electrodes and a separator disposed between two electrodes were then assembled and encased in an Al-plastic laminated packaging envelop, followed by liquid electrolyte injection to form a supercapacitor cell.

EXAMPLE 3 Preparation of Single-layer Graphene Sheets from Meso-carbon Micro-beads (MCMBs)

Meso-carbon microbeads (MCMBs) were supplied from China Steel Chemical Co., Kaohsiung, Taiwan. This material has a density of about 2.24 g/cm³ with a median particle size of about 16 μm. MCMB (10 grams) were intercalated with an acid solution (sulfuric acid, nitric acid, and potassium permanganate at a ratio of 4:1:0.05) for 48-96 hours. Upon completion of the reaction, the mixture was poured into deionized water and filtered. The intercalated MCMBs were repeatedly washed in a 5% solution of HCl to remove most of the sulphate ions. The sample was then washed repeatedly with deionized water until the pH of the filtrate was no less than 4.5. The slurry was then subjected ultrasonication for 10-100 minutes to produce GO suspensions. TEM and atomic force microscopic studies indicate that most of the GO sheets were single-layer graphene when the oxidation treatment exceeded 72 hours, and 2- or 3-layer graphene when the oxidation time was from 48 to 72 hours.

The GO sheets contain oxygen proportion of approximately 35%-47% by weight for oxidation treatment times of 48-96 hours. GO sheets were suspended in water and then dried to produce GP powder. The GO powder was then thermally reduced at 200-700° C. for varying periods of time to produce samples of reduced graphene oxide (RGO) powder having an oxygen content of approximately from 1% to 20%. These RGOs were used directly as an EDLC-type supercapacitor electrode material or join a partner material (e.g. metal oxide, conducting polymer, etc., bonded to RGO surface) to form a redox pair in a psedo-capacitance based superapacitor.

EXAMPLE 4 Preparation of Pristine Graphene Sheets (0% Oxygen) as a Supercapacitor Electrode Active Material

Recognizing the possibility of the high defect population in GO sheets acting to reduce the conductivity of individual graphene plane, we decided to study if the use of pristine graphene sheets (non-oxidized and oxygen-free, non-halogenated and halogen-free, etc.) can lead to a graphene foam having a higher thermal conductivity. Pristine graphene sheets were produced by using the direct ultrasonication or liquid-phase production process.

In a typical procedure, five grams of graphite flakes, ground to approximately 20 μm or less in sizes, were dispersed in 1,000 mL of deionized water (containing 0.1% by weight of a dispersing agent, Zonyl® FSO from DuPont) to obtain a suspension. An ultrasonic energy level of 85 W (Branson S450 Ultrasonicator) was used for exfoliation, separation, and size reduction of graphene sheets for a period of 15 minutes to 2 hours. The resulting graphene sheets are pristine graphene that have never been oxidized and are oxygen-free and relatively defect-free. Pristine graphene is essentially free from any non-carbon elements. Pristine graphene sheets were then incorporated in a supercapacitor using both the presently invented procedure of slurry injection into foam pores and conventional procedure of slurry coating, drying and layer laminating. Both EDLC and pseudo-capacitance types of supercapacitors were investigated.

EXAMPLE 5 CVD Graphene Foam-based Current Collectors on Ni Foam Templates

The procedure for producing CVD graphene foam was adapted from that disclosed in open literature: Chen, Z. et al. “Three-dimensional flexible and conductive interconnected graphene networks grown by chemical vapor deposition,” Nat. Mater. 10, 424-428 (2011). Nickel foam, a porous structure with an interconnected 3D scaffold of nickel was chosen as a template for the growth of graphene foam. Briefly, carbon was introduced into a nickel foam by decomposing CH₄ at 1,000° C. under ambient pressure, and graphene films were then deposited on the surface of the nickel foam. Due to the difference in the thermal expansion coefficients between nickel and graphene, ripples and wrinkles were formed on the graphene films. Four types of foams made in this example were used as a current collector in the presently invented supercapacitors: Ni foam, CVD graphene-coated Ni form, CVD graphene foam (Ni being etched away), and conductive polymer bonded CVD graphene foam.

In order to recover (separate) graphene foam, Ni frame was etched away. In the procedure proposed by Chen, et al., before etching away the nickel skeleton by a hot HCl (or FeCl₃) solution, a thin layer of poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) was deposited on the surface of the graphene films as a support to prevent the graphene network from collapsing during nickel etching. After the PMMA layer was carefully removed by hot acetone, a fragile graphene foam sample was obtained. The use of the PMMA support layer was considered critical to preparing a free-standing film of graphene foam. Instead, we used a conducting polymer as a binder resin to hold graphene together while Ni was etched away. It may be noted that the CVD graphene foam used herein is intended as a foamed current collector to accommodate the carbon particles or graphene sheets injected along with a liquid electrolyte. But, we have surprisingly found that such a graphene foam, with or without a conductive polymer, is itself a supercapacitor electrode material. Such a combination enables a maximized amount of active materials incorporated in a supercapacitor cell.

EXAMPLE 6 Graphitic Foam-based Current Collectors from Pitch-based Carbon Foams

Pitch powder, granules, or pellets are placed in a aluminum mold with the desired final shape of the foam. Mitsubishi ARA-24 meso-phase pitch was utilized. The sample is evacuated to less than 1 torr and then heated to a temperature approximately 300° C. At this point, the vacuum was released to a nitrogen blanket and then a pressure of up to 1,000 psi was applied. The temperature of the system was then raised to 800° C. This was performed at a rate of 2 degree C./min. The temperature was held for at least 15 minutes to achieve a soak and then the furnace power was turned off and cooled to room temperature at a rate of approximately 1.5 degree C./min with release of pressure at a rate of approximately 2 psi/min. Final foam temperatures were 630° C. and 800° C. During the cooling cycle, pressure is released gradually to atmospheric conditions. The foam was then heat treated to 1050° C. (carbonized) under a nitrogen blanket and then heat treated in separate runs in a graphite crucible to 2500° C. and 2800° C. (graphitized) in Argon.

EXAMPLE 7 Preparation of Graphene Fluoride Sheets as a Supercapacitor Active Material

Several processes have been used by us to produce GF, but only one process is herein described as an example. In a typical procedure, highly exfoliated graphite (HEG) was prepared from intercalated compound C₂F.xClF₃. HEG was further fluorinated by vapors of chlorine trifluoride to yield fluorinated highly exfoliated graphite (FHEG). Pre-cooled Teflon reactor was filled with 20-30 mL of liquid pre-cooled ClF₃, the reactor was closed and cooled to liquid nitrogen temperature. Then, no more than 1 g of HEG was put in a container with holes for ClF₃ gas to access and situated inside the reactor. In 7-10 days a gray-beige product with approximate formula C₂F was formed.

Subsequently, a small amount of FHEG (approximately 0.5 mg) was mixed with 20-30 mL of an organic solvent (methanol and ethanol, separately) and subjected to an ultrasound treatment (280 W) for 30 min, leading to the formation of homogeneous yellowish dispersions. Upon removal of solvent, the dispersion became a brownish powder.

EXAMPLE 8 Preparation of Nitrogenataed Graphene Sheets as a Supercapacitor Electrode Active Material

Graphene oxide (GO), synthesized in Example 2, was finely ground with different proportions of urea and the pelletized mixture heated in a microwave reactor (900 W) for 30 s. The product was washed several times with deionized water and vacuum dried. In this method graphene oxide gets simultaneously reduced and doped with nitrogen. The products obtained with graphene:urea mass ratios of 1:0.5, 1:1 and 1:2 are designated as NGO-1, NGO-2 and NGO-3 respectively and the nitrogen contents of these samples were 14.7, 18.2 and 17.5 wt % respectively as found by elemental analysis. These nitrogenataed graphene sheets remain dispersible in water. The resulting suspensions were then dried to obtain nitrogenated graphene powder. The powder was mixed in a liquid electrolyte to form a slurry for injection into pores of current collectors.

EXAMPLE 9 Preparation of MoS₂/RGO Hybrid Material as a Supercapacitor Active Material

A wide variety of inorganic materials were investigated in this example. For instance, an ultra-thin MoS₂/RGO hybrid was synthesized by a one-step solvothermal reaction of (NH₄)₂MoS₄ and hydrazine in an N, N-dimethylformamide (DMF) solution of oxidized graphene oxide (GO) at 200° C. In a typical procedure, 22 mg of (NH₄)₂MoS₄ was added to 10 mg of GO dispersed in 10 ml of DMF. The mixture was sonicated at room temperature for approximately 10 mm until a clear and homogeneous solution was obtained. After that, 0.1 ml of N₂H₄.H₂O was added. The reaction solution was further sonicated for 30 min before being transferred to a 40 mL Teflon-lined autoclave. The system was heated in an oven at 200° C. for 10 h. Product was collected by centrifugation at 8000 rpm for 5 min, washed with DI water and recollected by centrifugation. The washing step was repeated for at least 5 times to ensure that most DMF was removed. Finally, product was dried and made into a cathode. On a separate basis, several different amounts (5% to 45% by weight) of MoS₂ platelets were added into a carbon matrix to form a composite sheet. The strength and surface hardness of the resulting composite were found to be significantly higher than those of the corresponding carbon matrix alone.

EXAMPLE 10 Preparation of Two-Dimensional (2D) Layered Bi₂Se₃ Chalcogenide Nanoribbons

The preparation of (2D) layered Bi₂Se₃ chalcogenide nanoribbons is well-known in the art. For instance, Bi₂Se₃ nanoribbons were grown using the vapor-liquid-solid (VLS) method. Nanoribbons herein produced are, on average, 30-55 nm thick with widths and lengths ranging from hundreds of nanometers to several micrometers. Larger nanoribbons were subjected to ball-milling for reducing the lateral dimensions (length and width) to below 200 nm. Nanoribbons prepared by these procedures (with or without the presence of graphene sheets or exfoliated graphite flakes) were used as a supercapacitor electrode active material.

EXAMPLE 11 MXenes Powder+Chemically Activated RGO

Selected MXenes, were produced by partially etching out certain elements from layered structures of metal carbides such as Ti₃AlC₂. For instance, an aqueous 1 M NH₄HF₂ was used at room temperature as the etchant for Ti₃AlC₂. Typically, MXene surfaces are terminated by 0, OH, and/or F groups, which is why they are usually referred to as M_(n+1)X_(n)T_(x), where M is an early transition metal, X is C and/or N, T represents terminating groups (O, OH, and/or F), n=1, 2, or 3, and x is the number of terminating groups. The MXene materials investigated include Ti₂CT_(x), Nb₂CT_(x), V₂CT_(x), Ti₃CNT_(x), and Ta₄C₃T_(x). Typically, 35-95% MXene and 5-65% graphene sheets were mixed in a liquid electrolyte and injected into pores of foamed current collector.

EXAMPLE 12 Preparation of MnO₂-graphene Redox Pairs

The MnO₂ powder was synthesized by two methods (each with or without the presence of graphene sheets). In one method, a 0.1 mol/L KMnO₄ aqueous solution was prepared by dissolving potassium permanganate in deionized water. Meanwhile 13.32 g surfactant of high purity sodium bis(2-ethylhexyl) sulfosuccinate was added in 300 mL iso-octane (oil) and stirred well to get an optically transparent solution. Then, 32.4 mL of 0.1 mol/L KMnO₄ solution and selected amounts of GO solution were added in the solution, which was ultrasonicated for 30 min to prepare a dark brown precipitate. The product was separated, washed several times with distilled water and ethanol, and dried at 80° C. for 12 h. The sample is graphene-supported MnO₂ in a powder form, which was dispersed in a liquid electrolyte to form a slurry and injected into pores of a foamed current collector.

EXAMPLE 13 Evaluation of Various Supercapacitor Cells

In most of the examples investigated, both the inventive supercapacitor cells and their conventional counterparts were fabricated and evaluated. The latter cells, for comparison purposes, were prepared by the conventional procedures of slurry coating of electrodes, drying of electrodes, assembling of anode layer, separator, and cathode layer, packaging of assembled laminate, and injection of liquid electrolyte. In a conventional cell, an electrode (cathode or anode), is typically composed of 85% an electrode active material (e.g. graphene, activated carbon, inorganic nano discs, etc.), 5% Super-P (acetylene black-based conductive additive), and 10% PTFE, which were mixed and coated on Al foil. The thickness of electrode is around 100 μm. For each sample, both coin-size and pouch cells were assembled in a glove box. The capacity was measured with galvanostatic experiments using an Arbin SCTS electrochemical testing instrument. Cyclic voltammetry (CV) and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) were conducted on an electrochemical workstation (CHI 660 System, USA).

Galvanostatic charge/discharge tests were conducted on the samples to evaluate the electrochemical performance. For the galvanostatic tests, the specific capacity (q) is calculated as q=I*t/m  (1) where I is the constant current in mA, t is the time in hours, and m is the cathode active material mass in grams. With voltage V, the specific energy (E) is calculated as, E=∫Vdq  (2) The specific power (P) can be calculated as P=(E/t)(W/kg)  (3) where t is the total charge or discharge step time in hours.

-   The specific capacitance (C) of the cell is represented by the slope     at each point of the voltage vs. specific capacity plot,     C=dq/dV  (4)     For each sample, several current density (representing     charge/discharge rates) were imposed to determine the     electrochemical responses, allowing for calculations of energy     density and power density values required of the construction of a     Ragone plot (power density vs. energy density).

Shown in FIG. 5 are Ragone plots (gravimetric and volumetric power density vs. energy density) of two sets of symmetric supercapacitor (EDLC) cells containing reduced graphene oxide (RGO) sheets as the electrode active material and EMIMBF4 ionic liquid as the electrolyte. One of the two series of supercapacitors was prepared according to an embodiment of instant invention and the other was by the conventional slurry coating of electrodes. Several significant observations can be made from these data:

-   -   (A) Both the gravimetric and volumetric energy densities and         power densities of the supercapacitor cells prepared by the         presently invented method (denoted as “inventive” in the figure         legend) are significantly higher than those of their         counterparts prepared via the conventional method (denoted as         “conventional”). The differences are highly dramatic and are         mainly due to the high active material mass loading (>20 mg/cm²)         associated with the presently invented cells, reduced proportion         of overhead (non-active) components relative to the active         material weight/volume, no need to have a binder resin, the         ability of the inventive method to more effectively pack         graphene sheets into pores of the foamed current collector.     -   (B) For the cells prepared by the conventional method, the         absolute magnitudes of the volumetric energy densities and         volumetric power densities are significantly lower than those of         their gravimetric energy densities and gravimetric power         densities, due to the very low tap density (packing density of         0.25 g/cm³) of RGO-based electrodes prepared by the conventional         slurry coating method.     -   (C) In contrast, for the cells prepared by the presently         invented method, the absolute magnitudes of the volumetric         energy densities and volumetric power densities are higher than         those of their gravimetric energy densities and gravimetric         power densities, due to the relatively high tap density (packing         density of 1.15 g/cm³) of RGO-based electrodes prepared by the         presently invented method.

FIG. 6 shows the Ragone plots (both gravimetric and volumetric power density vs. energy density) of symmetric supercapacitor (EDLC) cells containing activated carbon (AC) particles as the electrode active material and organic liquid electrolyte. The experimental data were obtained from the supercapacitors that were prepared by the presently invented method and those by the conventional slurry coating of electrodes.

These data indicate that both the gravimetric and volumetric energy densities and power densities of the supercapacitor cells prepared by the presently invented method are significantly higher than those of their counterparts prepared via the conventional method. Again, the differences are huge and are mainly due to the high active material mass loading (>15 mg/cm²) associated with the presently invented cells, reduced proportion of overhead (non-active) components relative to the active material weight/volume, no need to have a binder resin, the ability of the inventive method to more effectively pack graphene sheets into pores of the foamed current collectors. The highly porous activated carbon particles are not as amenable to more compact packing as graphene sheets. Consequently, for AC-based supercapacitors, the absolute magnitudes of the volumetric energy densities and volumetric power densities are lower than those of corresponding gravimetric energy densities and gravimetric power densities. However, the presently invented methods still surprisingly enables the AC particles to be packed with a significantly higher tap density (0.75 g/cm³) than what is achieved with the conventional slurry coating process (0.55 g/cm³) in the present study.

Shown in FIG. 7 are Ragone plots of lithium ion capacitor (LIC) cells containing pristine graphene sheets as the cathode active material, prelithiated graphite particles as the anode active material, and lithium salt (LiPF₆)—PC/DEC as organic liquid electrolyte. The data are for both LICs prepared by the presently invented method and those by the conventional slurry coating of electrodes. These data indicate that both the gravimetric and volumetric energy densities and power densities of the LIC cells prepared by the presently invented method are significantly higher than those of their counterparts prepared via the conventional method. Again, the differences are huge and are mainly ascribed to the high active material mass loading (>15 mg/cm² at the anode side and >25 mg/cm² at the cathode side) associated with the presently invented cells, reduced proportion of overhead (non-active) components relative to the active material weight/volume, no need to have a binder resin, the ability of the inventive method to more effectively pack graphene sheets into pores of the foamed current collectors.

For the LIC cells prepared by the conventional method, the absolute magnitudes of the volumetric energy densities and volumetric power densities are significantly lower than those of their gravimetric energy densities and gravimetric power densities, due to the very low tap density (packing density of 0.25 g/cm³) of pristine graphene-based cathodes prepared by the conventional slurry coating method. In contrast, for the LIC cells prepared by the instant method, the absolute magnitudes of the volumetric energy densities and volumetric power densities are higher than those of their gravimetric energy densities and gravimetric power densities, due to the relatively high tap density of pristine graphene-based cathodes prepared by the presently invented method.

It is of significance to point out that reporting the energy and power densities per weight of active material alone on a Ragone plot, as did by many researchers, may not give a realistic picture of the performance of the assembled supercapacitor cell. The weights of other device components also must be taken into account. These overhead components, including current collectors, electrolyte, separator, binder, connectors, and packaging, are non-active materials and do not contribute to the charge storage amounts. They only add weights and volumes to the device. Hence, it is desirable to reduce the relative proportion of overhead component weights and increase the active material proportion. However, it has not been possible to achieve this objective using conventional supercapacitor production processes. The present invention overcomes this long-standing, most serious problem in the art of supercapacitors.

In a commercial supercapacitor having an electrode thickness of 150-200 μm, the weight of the active material (i.e. activated carbon) accounts for about 25%-30% of the total mass of the packaged cell. Hence, a factor of 3 to 4 is frequently used to extrapolate the energy or power densities of the device (cell) from the properties based on the active material weight alone. In most of the scientific papers, the properties reported are typically based on the active material weight alone and the electrodes are typically very thin (<<100 μm, and mostly <<50 μm). The active material weight is typically from 5% to 10% of the total device weight, which implies that the actual cell (device) energy or power densities may be obtained by dividing the corresponding active material weight-based values by a factor of 10 to 20. After this factor is taken into account, the properties reported in these papers do not really look any better than those of commercial supercapacitors. Thus, one must be very careful when it comes to read and interpret the performance data of supercapacitors reported in the scientific papers and patent applications.

EXAMPLE 14 Achievable Electrode Thickness and its Effect on Electrochemical Performance of Supercapacitor Cells

One might be tempted to think the electrode thickness of a supercapacitor is a design parameter that can be freely adjusted for optimization of device performance; but, in reality, the supercapacitor thickness is manufacturing-limited and one cannot produce electrodes of good structural integrity that exceed certain thickness level. Our studies further indicate that this problem is even more severe with graphene-based electrode. The instant invention solves this critically important issue associated with supercapacitors.

Shown in FIG. 8 are the cell-level gravimetric (Wh/kg) and volumetric energy densities (Wh/L) plotted over the achievable electrode thickness range of the activated carbon-based symmetric EDLC supercapacitors prepared via the conventional method and those by the presently invented method. In this figure, the data points are labelled as the gravimetric (♦) and volumetric (▴) energy density of the conventional supercapaitors and the gravimetric (▪) and volumetric (X) energy density of the presently invented supercapaitors. The activated carbon-based electrodes can be fabricated up to a thickness of 100-200 μm using the conventional slurry coating process. However, in contrast, there is no theoretical limit on the electrode thickness that can be achieved with the presently invented method. Typically, the practical electrode thickness is from 10 μm to 1000 μm, more typically from 100 μm to 800 μm, and most typically from 200 μm to 600 μm.

These data further confirm the surprising effectiveness of the presently invented method in producing ultra-thick supercapacitor electrodes not previously achievable. These ultra-thick electrodes lead to exceptionally high active material mass loading, typically significantly >10 mg/cm² (more typically >15 mg/cm², further typically >20 mg/cm², often >25 mg/cm², and even >30 mg/cm²). These high active material mass loadings have not been possible to obtain with conventional supercapacitors made by the slurry coating processes.

Further significantly, the typical cell-level energy densities of commercial AC-based supercapacitors are from 3 to 8 Wh/kg and from 1 to 4 Wh/L. In contrast, the presently invented method enables supercapacitors containing the same type of electrode active material (AC) to deliver an energy density up to 23.1 Wh/kg or 17.3 Wh/L. Such a 4-fold increase in energy density has not been considered possible in the supercapacitor industry.

Also highly significant and unexpected are the data summarized in FIG. 9 for reduced graphene oxide-based EDLC supercapacitors. The cell-level gravimetric and volumetric energy densities plotted over the achievable electrode thickness range of the RGO-based EDLC supercapacitors (organic liquid electrolyte) prepared via the conventional method and those by the presently invented method. In this figure, the gravimetric (♦) and volumetric (▴) energy density of the conventional supercapaitors are based on the highest achieved electrode tap density of approximately 0.25 g/cm³, and the gravimetric (▪) and volumetric (X) energy density of the presently invented supercapaitors are from those having an electrode tap density of approximately 0.75 g/cm³, by no means the highest. No one else has previously reported such a high tap density for un-treated, non-activated RGO electrodes.

These data indicate that the highest gravimetric energy density achieved with RGO-based EDLC supercapacitor cells produced by the conventional slurry coating method is approximately 12 Wh/kg, but those prepared by the presently invented method exhibit a gravimetric energy density as high as 31.6 Wh/kg at room temperature. This is an unprecedentedly high energy density value for EDLC supercapacitors (based on the total cell weight, not the electrode weight or active material weight alone). Even more impressive is the observation that the volumetric energy density of the presently invented supercapacitor cell is as high as 23.7 Wh/L, which is more than 7 times greater than the 3.0 Wh/L achieved by the conventional counterparts.

Summarized in FIG. 10 are the data of the cell-level gravimetric and volumetric energy densities plotted over the achievable electrode thickness range of the pristine graphene-based EDLC supercapacitors (organic liquid electrolyte) prepared via the conventional method and those by the presently invented method. The legends include the gravimetric (♦) and volumetric (▴) energy density of the conventional supercapaitors (highest achieved electrode tap density of approximately 0.25 g/cm³) and the gravimetric (▪) and volumetric (X) energy density of the presently invented supercapaitors (electrode tap density of approximately 1.15 g/cm³).

Quite significantly, these EDLC supercapacitors (without any redox or pseudo-capacitance) deliver a gravimetric energy density as high as 43.9 Wh/kg, which already exceeds the energy densities (20-40 Wh/kg) of advanced lead-acid batteries. This is of high utility value since an EDLC supercapacitor can be charged and discharged for 250,000-500,000 cycles, as opposed to the typical 100-400 cycles of lead-acid batteries. This achievement is very dramatic and totally unexpected in the art of supercapacitors. In addition, carbon- or graphene-based EDLC supercapacitors can be re-charged in seconds, in contrast to the typically hours of recharge time required of lead-acid batteries. Lead-acid batteries are notorious for their highly negative environmental impact, yet the instant supercapacitors are environmentally benign.

Further significant examples include those data summarized in FIG. 11 for the cell-level gravimetric and volumetric energy densities plotted over the achievable electrode thickness range of the pristine graphene-based EDLC supercapacitors (ionic liquid electrolyte) prepared via the conventional method and those via the presently invented method. The gravimetric (♦) and volumetric (▴) energy density are for those conventional supercapaitors (highest achieved electrode tap density of approximately 0.25 g/cm³) and the gravimetric (▪) and volumetric (X) energy density are for those inventive supercapaitors having an electrode tap density of approximately 1.15 g/cm³. The presently invented pristine graphene-based EDLC supercapacitors are capable of storing a cell-level energy density of 97.7 Wh/kg, which is 15 times greater than what could be achieved by conventional AC-based EDLC supercapacitors. The volumetric energy density value of 112.3 Wh/L is also unprecedented and is 30-fold greater than the 3-4 Wh/L of commercial AC-based supercapacitors.

EXAMPLE 15 Achievable Active Material Weight Percentage in a Cell and its Effect on Electrochemical Performance of Supercapacitor Cells

Because the active material weight accounts for up to about 30% of the total mass of the packaged commercial supercapacitors, a factor of 30% must be used to extrapolate the energy or power densities of the device from the performance data of the active material alone. Thus, the energy density of 20 Wh/kg of activated carbon (i.e. based on the active material weight alone) will translate to about 6 Wh/kg of the packaged cell. However, this extrapolation is only valid for electrodes with thicknesses and densities similar to those of commercial electrodes (150 μm or about 10 mg/cm² of the carbon electrode). An electrode of the same active material that is thinner or lighter will mean an even lower energy or power density based on the cell weight. Thus, it would be desirable to produce a supercapacitor cell having a high active material proportion. Unfortunately, it has not been previously possible to achieve an active material proportion greater than 30% by weight for activated carbon-based supercapacitors or greater than 15% by weight for graphene-based supercapacitors.

The presently invented method enables the supercapacitors to go well beyond these limits for all active materials investigated. As a matter of fact, the instant invention makes it possible to elevate the active material proportion above 90% if so desired; but typically from 15% to 85%, more typically from 30% to 80%, even more typically from 40% to 75%, and most typically from 50% to 70%.

As shown in FIG. 12, the cell-level gravimetric energy densities of the activated carbon-based EDLC supercapacitors (with organic liquid electrolyte) are plotted over the achievable active material proportion (active material weight/total cell weight), which are from 17.5% to 75.4%. The instant invention also allows us to achieve a pristine graphene content in a supercapacitor cell from 9.6% to 78.2% by weight, resulting in a gravimetric energy density from 9.6 Wh/kg to 97.7 Wh/kg. For instance, FIG. 13 shows the cell-level gravimetric energy densities plotted over the achievable active material proportion (active material weight/total cell weight) in a supercapacitor cell for two series of pristine graphene-based EDLC supercapacitors (all with organic liquid electrolyte). FIG. 14 shows the cell-level volumetric energy densities plotted over the achievable active material proportion (active material weight/total cell weight) for pristine graphene-based EDLC supercapacitors (with ionic liquid electrolyte).

EXAMPLE 16 The Electrochemical Performance of Supercapacitor Cells Based on Various Electrode Active Materials and/or Different Porous or Foamed Structures as Current Collectors

In order to evaluate the effect of the foam structure, we chose to use RGO as an example of electrode active material but vary the type and nature of the current collector. A wide variety of foams were selected, ranging from metal foam (e.g. Ni and Ti foam), metal web or screen (e.g. stainless steel web), perforated metal sheet-based 3-D structure, metal fiber mat (steel fibers), metal nanowire mat (Cu nanowires), conductive polymer nano-fiber mat (polyaniline), conductive polymer foam (e.g. PEDOT), conductive polymer-coated fiber foam (polypyrroe-coated nylon fibers), carbon foam, graphite foam, carbon aerogel, carbon xerox gel, graphene foam (from Ni-supported CVD graphene), graphene oxide foam (obtained via freeze-drying GO-water solution), reduced graphene oxide foam (RGO mixed with a polymer and then carbonized), carbon fiber foam, graphite fiber foam, and exfoliated graphite foam (exfoliated graphite worms bonded by a carbonized resin). This extensive and in-depth study leads to the following important observations:

-   -   (A) The electrical conductivity of the foam material is an         important parameter with a higher conductivity tending to result         in a higher power density and faster supercapacitor response         time.     -   (B) The porosity level is also an important parameter with a         higher pore content resulting in a larger amount of active         material given the same volume, leading to a higher energy         density. However, a higher porosity level can lead to slower         response time possibly due to a lower electron-conducting         capability.     -   (C) Graphite foams and graphene foams provide better response         time of a supercapacitor. However, metal foam enables more ready         formation of or connection to a tab (terminal lead). Two leads         are required in each cell.         A wide variety of electrode active materials for both EDLC and         redox supercapacitors have been investigated, covering organic         and inorganic materials, in combination with aqueous, organic,         and ionic liquid electrolytes. Summarized in the following table         (Table 1) are some examples of different classes of         supercapacitors for illustration purposes. These should not to         be construed as limiting the scope of the instant application.

TABLE 1 Examples of supercapacitors prepared by the new method and their counterparts prepared by the conventional slurry coating method. Electrode Active Gravimetric Volumetric thickness mass energy energy Active (μm) and loading density density Sample ID materials Electrolyte method (g/cm²) (Wh/kg) (Wh/L) PPy-1 Polypyrrole- 2M NaCl in 540, new 42 48 25 cellulose H₂O PPy-c Polypyrrole- 2M NaCl in 190, 13.2 8.8 3.1 cellulose H₂O conventional RuO₂-AC-1 RuO₂ + AC 1M NaCl in 350, new 16 38.9 28.6 H₂O RuO₂-AC-c RuO₂ + AC 1M NaCl in 160, 7.2 11.6 7.7 H₂O conventional NiO-RGO-1 NiO + 1M LiOH 550, new 25.6 43.7 36.2 activated GO in H₂O NiO-RGO-c NiO + 1M LiOH 160, 4.6 9.2 7.3 Activated GO in H₂O conventional V₂O₅-NGn-1 V₂O₅ + THF + 630, new 28 42.3 36.6 nitrogenated N(Et)₄BF₄ graphene V₂O₅-NGn-c V₂O₅ + THF + 175, 5.6 7.2 5.6 nitrogenated N(Et)₄BF₄ conventional graphene MnO₂-RGO-1 MnO₂ + RGO 1.0M 423 17.8 87 85 Na₂SO₄ MnO₂-RGO-c MnO₂ + RGO 1.0M 187, 6.2 29 23 Na₂SO₄ conventional MoS₂-1 MoS₂/RGO Acetonitrile + 370, new 25.5 42.2 35.7 N(Et)₄BF₄ MoS₂-c MoS₂/RGO Acetonitrile 155, 8.8 13.2 9.6 N(Et)₄BF₄ conventional Ti₂CT_(x)-1 Ti₂C(OH)₂/ 1M LiOH 320, new 15.3 15.5 12.3 quinone GO in H₂O Ti₂CT_(x)-c Ti₂C(OH)₂/ 1M LiOH 167, 4.5 6.7 4.2 quinone GO in H₂O conventional CNT-1 MWCNT EMI-TFSI 275 12.7 25.8 16.7 CNT-c MWCNT EMI-TFSI 95 2.3 6.2 3.2

These data further confirm the surprising superiority of the presently invented method of producing supercapacitor cells in terms of dramatically improving mass loading, electrode thickness, gravimetric energy density, and volumetric energy density. The presently invented supercapacitors are consistently much better the conventional supercapacitors in electrochemical properties. The differences are surprisingly dramatic.

In conclusion, we have successfully developed a new and novel class of supercapacitors that have unexpectedly thick electrodes (not previously achievable), large active material mass loading (not previously achievable), outstanding gravimetric energy density (not previously achievable), and unprecedentedly high volumetric energy density. The invented method of direct injection of an active material-electrolyte mixture into foamed current collectors also overcomes the long-standing problems associated with graphene sheet-based supercapacitors (i.e. inability to make thick electrodes, difficulty in preventing graphene sheet re-stacking, low tap density, and low volumetric energy density). 

We claim:
 1. A process for producing a supercapacitor cell, said process comprising: (A) assembling a porous cell framework composed of a first conductive foam structure as an anode current collector, a second conductive foam structure as a cathode current collector, and a porous separator disposed between said first and said second conductive foam structure; wherein said first and/or second conductive foam structure has a thickness no less than 100 μm and at least 80% by volume of pores; (B) preparing a first suspension of an anode active material dispersed in a first liquid electrolyte and a second suspension of a cathode active material dispersed in a second liquid electrolyte; and (C) injecting said first suspension of said anode active material and said first liquid electrolyte into pores of said first conductive foam structure to form an anode and injecting said second suspension of said cathode active material and said second liquid electrolyte into pores of said second conductive foam structure to form a cathode to an extent that said anode active material or said cathode active material constitutes an anode or cathode active material loading no less than 7 mg/cm² in said anode or said cathode, wherein said anode, said separator, and said cathode are assembled in a protective housing before or after said injecting step occurs.
 2. The process of claim 1, wherein said anode active material and/or said cathode active material contains multiple particles of a carbon material and/or multiple graphene sheets, wherein said multiple graphene sheets contain single-layer graphene or few-layer graphene each having from 1 to 10 graphene planes and said multiple particles of carbon material have a specific surface area no less than 500 m²/g when measured in a dried state.
 3. The process of claim 1, wherein said first and/or second conductive foam structure has a thickness no less than 200 μm, has at least 85% by volume of pores, and/or said electrode active material loading is no less than 10 mg/cm².
 4. The process of claim 1, wherein said first and/or second conductive foam structure has a thickness no less than 300 μm, has at least 90% by volume of pores, and/or said electrode active material loading is no less than 15 mg/cm².
 5. The process of claim 1, wherein said first and/or second conductive foam structure has a thickness no less than 400 μm, has at least 95% by volume of pores, and/or said electrode active material loading is no less than 20 mg/cm².
 6. The process of claim 1, wherein said first and/or second conductive foam structure is selected from metal foam, metal web or screen, perforated metal sheet-based 3-D structure, metal fiber mat, metal nanowire mat, conductive polymer nano-fiber mat, conductive polymer foam, conductive polymer-coated fiber foam, carbon foam, graphite foam, carbon aerogel, carbon xerogel, graphene foam, graphene oxide foam, reduced graphene oxide foam, carbon fiber foam, graphite fiber foam, exfoliated graphite foam, or a combination thereof.
 7. The process of claim 2, wherein said graphene sheets are selected from the group consisting of pristine graphene, graphene oxide, reduced graphene oxide, graphene fluoride, graphene chloride, graphene bromide, graphene iodide, hydrogenated graphene, nitrogenated graphene, boron-doped graphene, nitrogen-doped graphene, chemically functionalized graphene, physically or chemically activated or etched versions thereof, and combinations thereof.
 8. The process of claim 1, wherein said anode or said cathode contains graphene sheets as the only electrode active material and does not contain any other electrode active material.
 9. The process of claim 1, wherein said anode or said cathode contains the following materials as the only electrode active material in said anode or cathode: (a) graphene sheets alone; (b) graphene sheets mixed with a carbon material; (c) graphene sheets mixed with a partner material that forms a redox pair with said graphene sheets to develop pseudo-capacitance; or (d) graphene sheets and a carbon material mixed with a partner material that forms a redox pair with said graphene sheets or said carbon material to develop pseudo-capacitance, and wherein there is no other electrode active material in said anode or cathode.
 10. The process of claim 1, wherein a volume ratio of said anode active material-to-said liquid electrolyte in said first dispersion is from 1/5 to 20/1 and/or a volume ratio of said cathode active material-to-said liquid electrolyte in said second dispersion is from 1/5 to 20/1.
 11. The process of claim 1, wherein a volume ratio of said anode active material-to-said liquid electrolyte in said first dispersion is from 1/3 to 5/1 and/or a volume ratio of said cathode active material-to-said liquid electrolyte in said second dispersion is from 1/3 to 5/1.
 12. The process of claim 2, wherein said anode active material or cathode active material further contains a redox pair partner material selected from a metal oxide, a conducting polymer, an organic material, a non-graphene carbon material, an inorganic material, or a combination thereof, wherein said partner material, in combination with graphene or a carbon material, form a redox pair for pseudo-capacitance.
 13. The process of claim 12, wherein said metal oxide is selected from RuO₂, IrO₂, NiO, MnO₂, VO₂, V₂O₅, V₃O₈, TiO₂, Cr₂O₃, Co₂O₃, Co₃O₄, PbO₂, Ag₂O, or a combination thereof.
 14. The process of claim 12, wherein said inorganic material is selected from a metal carbide, metal nitride, metal boride, metal dichalcogenide, or a combination thereof.
 15. The process of claim 12, wherein said metal oxide or inorganic material is selected from an oxide, dichalcogenide, trichalcogenide, sulfide, selenide, or telluride of niobium, zirconium, molybdenum, hafnium, tantalum, tungsten, titanium, vanadium, chromium, cobalt, manganese, iron, or nickel in a nanowire, nano-disc, nano-ribbon, or nano platelet form.
 16. The process of claim 12, wherein said inorganic material is selected from nano discs, nano platelets, nano-coating, or nano sheets of an inorganic material selected from: (a) bismuth selenide or bismuth telluride, (b) transition metal dichalcogenide or trichalcogenide, (c) sulfide, selenide, or telluride of niobium, zirconium, molybdenum, hafnium, tantalum, tungsten, titanium, cobalt, manganese, iron, nickel, or a transition metal; (d) boron nitride, or (e) a combination thereof; wherein said discs, platelets, or sheets have a thickness less than 100 nm.
 17. The process of claim 1, wherein said anode active material and/or said cathode active material contains nano discs, nano platelets, nano-coating, or nano sheets of an inorganic material selected from: (i) bismuth selenide or bismuth telluride, (ii) transition metal dichalcogenide or trichalcogenide, (iii) sulfide, selenide, or telluride of niobium, zirconium, molybdenum, hafnium, tantalum, tungsten, titanium, cobalt, manganese, iron, nickel, or a transition metal; (iv) boron nitride, or (v) a combination thereof, wherein said discs, platelets, coating, or sheets have a thickness less than 100 nm and a specific surface area no less than 200 m²/g when measured in a dried state.
 18. The process of claim 17, wherein said anode active material or cathode active material further contains graphene sheets selected from pristine graphene, graphene oxide, reduced graphene oxide, graphene fluoride, graphene chloride, graphene bromide, graphene iodide, hydrogenated graphene, nitrogenated graphene, boron-doped graphene, nitrogen-doped graphene, chemically functionalized graphene, or a combination thereof.
 19. The process of claim 17, wherein said anode active material or cathode active material further contains a redox pair partner material selected from a carbon material, a graphene material, a metal oxide, a conducting polymer, an organic material, or a combination thereof, wherein said partner material, in combination with said inorganic material, form a redox pair for obtaining pseudo-capacitance.
 20. The process of claim 19, wherein said metal oxide is selected from RuO₂, IrO₂, NiO, MnO₂, VO_(X), TiO₂, Cr₂O₃, Co₂O₃, Co₃O₄, PbO₂, Ag₂O, or a combination thereof.
 21. The process of claim 2, wherein said carbon material is selected from activated carbon, activated meso-carbon micro beads, activated graphite, activated or chemically etched carbon black, activated hard carbon, activated soft carbon, carbon nanotube, carbon nano-fiber, activated carbon fiber, activated graphite fiber, exfoliated graphite worms, activated graphite worms, activated expanded graphite flakes, or a combination thereof.
 22. The process of claim 1, wherein said first liquid electrolyte or said second liquid electrolyte is selected from an aqueous liquid, an organic liquid, an ionic liquid, or a mixture of an organic liquid and an ionic liquid.
 23. The process of claim 1, wherein said anode active material is different than the cathode active material.
 24. A process for producing a supercapacitor cell, said process comprising: (A) assembling a porous cell framework composed of a first conductive foam structure as a cathode current collector, an anode current collector, and a porous separator disposed between said anode and cathode current collectors; wherein said first conductive foam structure has a thickness no less than 100 μm and at least 80% by volume of pores and said anode current collector has two opposed primary surfaces and at least one of the two primary surfaces is pre-coated with a layer of an anode active material; (B) preparing a first suspension of a cathode active material dispersed in a first liquid electrolyte, wherein said cathode active material contains multiple particles of a carbon material and/or multiple graphene sheets, wherein said multiple graphene sheets contain single-layer graphene or few-layer graphene each having from 1 to 10 graphene planes and said multiple particles of carbon material have a specific surface area no less than 500 m²/g when measured in a dried state; and (C) injecting said first suspension of said cathode active material and said first liquid electrolyte into pores of said first conductive foam structure to form a cathode to an extent that said cathode active material constitutes a cathode active material loading no less than 7 mg/cm², and wherein said anode, said separator, and said cathode are assembled in a protective housing before or after said injecting step occurs. 